


Halo

by NikkiB1973



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Feels, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Romance, Skywalker Family Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:54:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 65
Words: 126,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25283464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikkiB1973/pseuds/NikkiB1973
Summary: This is set at the begining of The Force Awakens. Kylo is shot out of the sky over Jakku by an unknown assailant. Injured and delirious he is rescued by a young scavanger girl by the name of Rey...On temp hiatus.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1283
Kudos: 495





	1. Chapter 1

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright to their respective owners.

**_A/N-set at the beginning of The Force Awakens._ **

** Chapter One-Scavenger **

Jakku’s cruel sun beat down on Rey as she sped away from the junk fields of the Starship Graveyard with her latest finds on the speeder she had built with her own two hands. The sun’s one malevolent eye remained unblinking, and the sky was its co-conspirator with not even a wisp of cloud to soften the harsh rays. The lizards took shelter in the shadows of the rocks where the sand was not hot enough to roast them, but there was no shade large enough to shield Rey. The air was thick and hazy, each expelled breath was like drowning in larva.

She was halfway back to the downed imperial walker that she called home when she saw a spiral of thick black smoke rising in the dusty air. She slowed down her speeder, her curiosity piqued as she removed her protective goggles and shaded her eyes and peered away across the broken waste of desert. Despite her best efforts she struggled to see what the source of the smoke was. It wasn’t unusual for equipment to explode in the dry desert heat, but she was a long way from Niima Outpost and rarely saw any other scavengers out this far. The Goazon Badlands was a barren wasteland. It was a testament to her own survival skills that she managed to thrive there in such isolation, but she much preferred it to being under Unkar Plutt’s yoke.

Rey debated with herself whether it was worth going to investigate. She already had a good haul worth sixteen portions at least by her calculations. The sooner she got the parts she’d scavenged cleaned up and fixed, she could take them to Plutt and pick up her rations. She had almost made up her mind not to bother when she heard a faint groan coming from a short distance away. Rey was on the offensive at once. She slipped off her speeder, reaching for her quarterstaff in readiness to defend herself.

The desert remained a vast undulating sea as she used her keen senses to decipher where the noise had come from. Rey did a slow revolution as she looked all around her. Her grip on the quarterstaff remained steady as another soft moan attracted her attention. It was coming from her left. Rey nimbly swung around, her eyes narrowing against the sun’s glare as she noted a tall figure stumbling toward her across the sand. It was a male. A human male. He appeared directionless, maybe even delirious. He couldn’t seem to walk in a straight line but was instead veering all over the place. Rey squinted as she moved closer to get a better look. The man was younger than she had first thought, pale, his thick mane of black hair fell about his face in sweaty tendrils. He was dressed all in black, not a good idea when travelling in the desert as it attracted the heat.

Rey circled him, keeping her distance as she raised her staff defensively in front of her, just in case the man’s act was all a ruse and he tried to attack her. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her, his dark brown eyes widening slightly as if in wonder. Maybe he thought she was a hallucination. Rey could see his pupils were enlarged, a sure sign that he was indeed delirious as she had first thought. She heard him mumble incoherently under his breath as he took another few steps in her direction. Then the toe of his boot caught on the other and he pitched forward, falling flat on his face in the hot sand.

An irritated sigh escaped Rey’s parted lips as she stared down at him. She should just leave him here. It wasn’t her responsibility to rescue him. She had limited resources herself. There wasn’t any left over to share. Especially not with a stranger who may or may not be dangerous. But like always Rey’s compassionate nature won out. She knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she left him to rot in the desert heat. He would be dead in a few hours if she didn’t get him out of the hot midday sun. She would have been undercover herself by now if his unexpected appearance hadn’t delayed her.

The dry wind stirred up the wispy sand and the sun’s never-ending rays beat down on her mercilessly as she nudged the man in the side with the edge of her boot. He didn’t react in any way. Rey ducked down next to him and checked his pulse. It was strong. He was still alive but she wondered how she was supposed to move him. He had to be well over six foot at least, muscular and heavy. She prodded the side of his head with her hand.

“Can you get up?” She said in a loud voice. He answered her with a stifled groan. “I’ll take that as a yes. If you want my help then you’ll need to try and stand. I can’t move you on my own.”

Rey watched indifferently as the guy rolled onto his back, his arms flopping down on either side of him in the sand as if that small effort had exhausted him. She huffed out a frustrated breath as she hovered by his side. Now he had moved she had a better view of his face. The skin on his face was raw with sunburn but didn’t detract from his good looks. Rey ignored the slight flutter in her stomach as his eyelids opened slowly, revealing the prettiest pair of brown eyes she had ever seen. They were rimmed with thick black lashes. Rey scowled, annoyed with herself for focusing on such trivial things. She bet the guy was some spoiled prince. He obviously wasn’t used to such rough terrain as this.

“I need you to try and stand. My speeder is just over there.”

The guy looked up at her as if she was crazed. He was clearly too delirious to understand a word of what she was saying. Rey swore under her breath as she grabbed hold of his arm, leaned back and used all of her strength to pull him up into a sitting position. He let out an agonised groan, his sunburned skin flushing an even darker red with pain.

“There’s nothing I can do about your pain. You’ll have to deal with it. But if you don’t get the hell up then you’ll die right here. Is that what you want?” She yelled at him.

Her words were falling on deaf ears. Rey knew that but didn’t care. Hearing the sound of her own voice was reassuring. She bore the majority of his weight with quiet stoicism as she helped him to rise. The man staggered, leaning against her for support as she steered him toward the speeder. Her next problem was getting him on the thing. In the end Rey was forced to drape him over the back of the speeder as he refused to make any effort to help himself. If his position aggravated his injuries that was all on him. She wrapped some ropes around him to tie him in place, worried in case he fell off as she raced across the sand.

* * *

The sun had reached the middle of the sky when Rey reached the AT-AT she called home. Hellhound Two was left over from the battle of Jakku. When she first found it, Rey did not believe that she could live there. When she inspected the walker, though, she found a small green spine barrel flower growing out of a few millimetres of sand that had poured into the walker. Rey realized that if such a tiny flower could survive there, so could she, and that life always found a way to survive on Jakku. She would go on to collect flowers like that, as a reminder that beauty could be found anywhere, even on Jakku.

Once she settled into the walker, Rey salvaged working parts of the AT-AT for trade. She mostly just used one room, for a variety of reasons. She would often bring her salvages to the walker before bringing them to Plutt, as Plutt deducted portions one could receive from a salvage if they used his washing and repair stations. The walker also contained scratches she made to mark the passage of time, to remind her how far she had come and to count down the days until her family returned for her. She kept the speeder she built for herself chained up outside, it was her only degree of independence as she made her way back and forth from the Starship Graveyard.

As soon as Rey untied the ropes wrapped around the man, he slid off the back of the speeder and onto the soft sand. He was only partially conscious, mumbling a load of nonsense under his breath. Placing her hands on her lower back, Rey stretched her aching muscles. The sun was still relentlessly beating down on them. It was imperative she drag him inside to get some shade now it had reached the hottest part of the day. She wasn’t looking forward to that exertion. Sighing heavily, she ducked down and began the grim task of manoeuvring him inside the walker.

* * *

Kylo was losing his mind…again. He could feel it unravelling, the threads of every memory he could ever recall, all but a disarray of strings scattered about his feet. He opened his mouth, but not a sound came out, his head violently quivering as if there was a drill to the back of his skull. He didn’t know who or what had shot him out of the sky. The blow had come out of nowhere and was completely unexpected. His modified Tie Whisper was a ball of flames as it plummeted onto Jakku’s scorched surface. He barely had time to drag himself out of the wreckage before it exploded in a wall of black smoke.

He remained in a feverish state for days. His injured body radiated heat like a brick right out of the oven. He ate nothing but the wateriest of soups spoon fed to him by Rey, so diminished was his appetite. As he lost weight, so did she as she was forced to share what little food she managed to trade for the parts she scavenged. She had no choice but to stay closer to home, worried that if she left him for too long, he would be dead by the time she got back from foraging.

The days passed in a blur, Rey, weakening herself, wondered why she didn’t just toss the guy into the desert sands to fend for himself. But the strange compulsion to care for him overrode all concern for her own declining health. There were now another set of scratches on the wall of the walker, this time marking down the days since the stranger had entered her life. During the long nights she wiped the sweat off his forehead, wringing out the cloth over and over in the warm water to try and bring his fever down. In his few lucid moments, he mumbled incoherently, only a few words audible. Rey marked those words on the wall to remember at a later date. She had tried to coax him to tell her his name, but all she got was muttered nonsense for her efforts. The closest she got was Kyben. She added that to the growing list of words on the wall.

* * *

Ten days passed; morning bloomed on the desert. The huge, golden sun rose over the edge of the barren world, and its rays fell on the lonely walker. The occupants inside were dead to the world. Rey, exhausted after yet another night tending to the stranger, slept fitfully in the corner, curled up in a foetal position. As the blistering heat from the sun reached its zenith in the sky, Kylo opened his heavy lids and stared blearily above him. It took a while for anything to come into focus. When it did, he stared in confusion at the beige awning above him. He didn’t recognise it. He tried to move and immediately regretted it when an intense ache overtook his body. Fire shot down his limbs and he inhaled sharply in response.

“Fuck!” Kylo swore through dry, cracked lips.

His loud expletive disturbed Rey. She sat up abruptly, crawling toward him on all fours. Kylo’s eyes opened wider in shock as her face swam in to view. He had to be dreaming. He had never seen anything so lovely. He tried to form words, but nothing coherent came out.

“Just stay still, Kyben.” Rey hushed him. “You’ve been through an intense ordeal. I’ll get you some water.”

_Kyben?_

His aching head swarmed with confusion.

_Why was she calling him Kyben?_

He felt all mixed up just like his name. Then she was back. Rey steadily held the flask to his eager lips as she tipped the water into his opened mouth. The water was lukewarm but, in that moment, it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. His thirsty eyes fixed on hers as he enjoyed the feel of the water sliding down his parched throat.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	2. Hero

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on this story!_ **

** Chapter Two-Hero **

Kylo licked his dry lips and tried to sit up again but knew he would faint when his stomach gave out. It felt like his innards were being replaced by some kind of black hole. Then nausea crept from his abdomen to his head and the world went black. He fell back with a stifled groan.

“What’s happening to me?” He asked hoarsely.

“You’ve been running a fever for days.” Rey wet a cloth and began to dab at the perspiration forming on his skin. “You’re still very weak.”

Kylo lost the colour from his face. It was as if his heart had suddenly stopped beating and all the blood had run down into his boots. He tried to focus his gaze on the girl’s face while she hovered over him. Gods, she was even prettier up close. He stared up at her, feeling slightly delirious as she continued to dab at his hot skin.

“Are you an angel?” He gasped.

The girl’s cheeks flushed slightly as she shook her head. “No. I’m just Rey.”

“Just Rey.” Kylo mumbled as his eyesight blurred, but not because tears were welling up. Everything became fuzzy; then he saw nothing at all. His consciousness was floating through an empty space filled with a thick static. Throughout the inky space his heartbeats pounded loudly, echoing in his ears. Feeling in his body drained away until finally all was black.

* * *

Away to the west the sun was sinking into a violet sea of light. There lay the mighty desert, brown, barren, desolate—the desert with its dreaded sand storms. Rey shivered slightly in the sudden drop in temperature. A muffled groan came from inside the walker and she sighed heavily. Kyben must have regained consciousness again. Tiredly she crept back inside to check on him.

Night had robbed her of the daytime colours. Ahead of her Kyben appeared no more than a silhouette, Rey only had his fluid black out-line from which to guess his emotions. Right now, he seemed relaxed, and that could only mean a good thing. Perhaps by morning he would have recovered enough for her to take him to Niima Outpost. What he did from there was up to him.

“How are you feeling?” She asked solicitously as she kept a discreet distance.

“Like I’ve got kriffing hangover.” Kylo swore as he rubbed the back of his skull in a vain attempt to ease the intense ache. “How long have I been here?”

Rey flushed again, not amused by his foul language. “Too long.” She countered irritably. “And you’re welcome by the way.”

“For what?” Kylo was genuinely confused by her veiled sarcasm.

Rey just stared at him in disbelief, utterly despairing at his lack of manners. His stomach growled, sounding extra loud in the ensuing silence. He squirmed with embarrassment as he tried to silence the grumbling. “Are you hungry, Kyben?” She asked, her expression remaining deadpan as she secretly enjoyed his discomfiture.

Kylo found himself salivating at the prospect of food. His stomach rumbled again and he covered it with his hand. He suddenly realised how famished he was. Gnawing hunger clawed at his empty stomach as he nodded eagerly.

Rey turned away from him as she ignored her own empty stomach. The hunger was ever-present; from dawn to dusk it gnawed at her. Food was her constant obsession; she couldn't look at an animal or plant and not wonder if it was edible. She didn’t care if food was tasty or varied, just that it could stave off the pains a while. She was down to her last portion of food. She had intended to save it for the morning, thinking that it would fuel her long enough to go on another scavenging expedition. Looking at it longingly, she decided to let Kyben have it. He was weak and would need his strength for the long journey to Niima Outpost in the morning. Reluctantly she began to prepare the slim pickings. When she passed it to Kyben, he practically snatched it out of her hands.

Angered by his rudeness she watched in stony silence as he gobbled the whole lot down. He didn’t even offer to share. It was very clear he was a spoiled prince and had probably never known a day’s hunger before now. The sooner he was gone the better. Rey suddenly couldn’t bear to be in the same space as him. She grabbed her poncho and stepped outside. The cool dry air hit her skin as soon as her soft boots sank into the sand. She raised her head and looked up at the sky. In every direction was a star, should she fly into the galaxy any way would be the right way. She tilted her head, gazing upward, eyes more open than they can be in the fullness of day, not looking at one star, yet somehow seeing them all at once. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and left her feeling momentarily sad as she wondered if her parents were looking at the same stars, thinking about their lost daughter.

“Why aren’t you eating anything?”

Kyben’s hoarse voice coming from behind, startled Rey. She tensed, turning her head to frown in his direction. “I’ll eat tomorrow.” She said tetchily. “I see you’re able to stand.”

Kylo’s eyes widened slightly at the irritated tone in her voice. She was very moody. He had only asked a simple question. He rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to tie his jumbled thoughts together. His memory of what happened was hazy at best. He had come out to question her, but in the sour mood she was in, she would probably just jump down his throat. Eating had made him feel a little better, but he was still weak. His legs wobbled as he tried to remain upright, but he was soon forced to lower himself to the ground when they threatened to give out.

Rey watched him with little sympathy. “I’ll take you to Niima Outpost in the morning, Kyben. You should be able to make your own way from there.” She said as the tense silence stretched out between them.

Weariness crept over Kylo as he fought to keep his eyes open. “Why do you keep calling me Kyben?” He asked gruffly as he scooped sand into the palm of his hand and let the fine grains trickle between his fingers.

“Isn’t that your name?”

“No.”

“You said it was.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Rey cast him an irritated glance. He really was rude and obnoxious. He had showed no gratitude whatsoever for all the effort and all the sacrifices she had made tending to him in his hour of need. As far as she was concerned morning couldn’t come fast enough so she could be rid of his company. “It’s not my fault I got it wrong. You were hardly coherent at the time when I asked you.”

Kylo looked up at her from his sitting position. Her hazel eyes were a melt of autumn tones. Freckles, light, delicate; sprinkled softly on her sun-kissed cheeks. Soft waves of brown hair framed her heart shaped face. She was a Goddess, a blooming flower amongst the dry desert sands. He was captivated by her, utterly intrigued. And he hadn’t felt that way about anyone or anything ever. If he told her who he really was, he could already envision that precious light in her pretty eyes morphing into one of fear as she looked at him like a monster. It was a look he’d seen in countless eyes during his lifetime.

“My name is B…Ben.” He stumbled over his name.

Rey studied him curiously. He was a mass of contradiction. No longer acting the spoiled prince, his whole demeanour had changed. He now seemed rather shy; the apology clear in his eyes as he gazed up at her. Rey’s compassionate nature decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Hello, Ben. I’m Rey.” She held out her hand toward him.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he reached up to take her hand. As soon as their fingertips brushed a slight tingle ran underneath their skin. It was as though someone had attached a live wire to each of their nerves, like an electrical current pulsing between them.

Rey snatched her hand back and cradled it against her stomach. “What was that?” She demanded.

Kylo’s mouth dropped open as he stared up at her in fascination. His senses had been so dulled because of his illness that he hadn’t even been aware of the Force surrounding her. It was strong, pulsating. It took him a few minutes to gather his wits. “You’re strong with the Force.”

Rey looked at him like he was crazy. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She turned away from him and ducked her head in the low doorway of the walker as she went back inside.

Kylo climbed unsteadily to his feet. His face paled as his blood sugar dipped. He was seconds from passing out. He called Rey’s name, but by the time she came back out he had already fainted.

* * *

Kylo’s skin was glistening and the nape of his neck damp the next time he woke up. He dragged himself into a sitting position, the heat from the cruel desert sun stealing his breath. One glance around the walker’s interior told him that he was alone. Rey was gone. She wouldn’t have abandoned him, would she? He wouldn’t be surprised, it was a regular pattern in his life, starting with his own parents. He scowled, annoyed at himself for dredging up the memory of Han and Leia. It was this cursed heat. It was driving him crazy. He turned to find a bowl of lukewarm water placed next to him as well as a small portion of something he assumed was food. Rey must have left it there before she went out.

Stripping off his black tunic, Kylo pulled his weary body into a kneeling position and began to splash water on his face. It cooled his feverish skin a little and he relaxed. Washing down the rest of his upper torso as best he could with the limited amount of water, he settled back down and picked up the inedible looking food. He sniffed it, grimacing as he shovelled it into his mouth. It was as tasteless as the poor offerings from the day before and did little to satisfy his raging hunger.

Even the small effort of washing had tuckered him out. Kylo sighed and leaned back against the wall as he took his first good look at the place Rey called home. The first thing he noticed inside the walker was a computer display from an old BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber that Rey had acquired, which she used to learn alien languages, study the schematics of Republic and Imperial star ships, and run flight simulations in order to hone her skills as a pilot. Her ability to understand alien languages, including the binary language of droids, helped her when off-worlders came to Niima Outpost.

Kylo had no idea that two such off-worlders were Wookiees, who regaled her with the stories of the famed Wookiee smuggler-turned-Rebel fighter Chewbacca. She learned of Chewbacca's exploits, as well as those of his friend and fellow smuggler Han Solo. Kylo crawled over to the computer and switched it on. He pulled up an array of schematics. Rey had clearly been studying them to learn how ships worked. An important part of her survival on Jakku. As he flipped through the schematics, he recognized almost all of the Republic and Imperial vessels that could be found in the Graveyard. He was impressed at the depth of Rey’s research on the vessels, including what roles they played in combat, the types of weapons they were armed with, their models and classes, and how many crew members each one had.

Flicking through all the information the computer held, Kylo realised that Rey from Jakku was not just a simple scavenger. He was amazed at the wealth of information she had gathered through her limited resources. After a while he shut the computer down and stretched his aching limbs. He had no idea how much time had passed. Surely, she would be back soon? He didn’t really think she had just run off and left him, not after going to so much trouble to keep him alive.

His curious gaze landed on the wall opposite the computer terminal. It was filled with scratches to mark the passage of time. He wondered what it all meant. Underneath the scratches were etched a number of words. He froze when he saw the name Kyben etched there as well as the word Finalizer and others he didn’t want to think about right now. From some distance away he heard the sound of a speeder. The ache intensified inside his head as he clambered onto his feet and crawled his way outside to see if it was Rey. The heat of the mid-day sun shimmered in front of him and scorched his eyeballs. He quickly shielded his eyes with his hand and backed into the walker, seeking shade.

After his eyes became attuned to the bright light, he could see it was indeed Rey returning. She was hovering low over her speeder, the nets on either side heavy with scavenged parts. Kylo kept his gaze trained on her as she approached. He thought she seemed kind of agitated and it caused a sliver of unease to ripple down his spine. It didn’t take her long to reach him. She left the speeder running, the infernal black smoke coming from the exhaust choking the air.

“Good, you’re awake.” Rey said breathlessly as she removed her goggles and stared at him anxiously. “We’ve got a problem.”

“What?” Kylo asked in alarm.

“I’ve just come from Niima Outpost. I was taking these parts to Plutt to trade but found it swarming with stormtroopers. The First Order is here, Ben.” Rey’s cheeks were flushed as she spoke. “I overheard them questioning Plutt. They’re looking for some Resistance pilot or something. He escaped and they tracked him here.” She gushed, her hazel eyes shining brightly. “That pilot is you, isn’t it, Ben? Why didn’t you just tell me you were part of the Resistance. It all makes sense to me now. This is amazing. You’re a hero.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	3. BB-8

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story. I am assuming that even though BB-8 knew about Kylo Ren in the beginning of the Force Awakens he had never seen him unmasked so wouldn’t recognise him without his mask._ **

** Chapter Three-BB-8 **

Kylo’s brain stuttered for a moment, every part of him going on pause while he waited for his thoughts to catch up. Rey’s news had completely blindsided him. He was in complete shock. The impact of the knowledge that the First Order was on Jakku had knocked every wisp of air from his lungs, and he stood there struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything. He saw Rey looking at him oddly as he tried to remember how to breathe, he was unable to speak, totally stunned as his frantic thoughts began to rattle around inside his skull.

“Are you okay?” Rey asked, the excitement dying in her eyes a little. “You don’t look well. Maybe you should sit down.”

“No.” Kylo put his hand out in front of him in an attempt to ward her off.

“Rude.” Rey muttered as she pulled out her flask and took a sip of the warm water inside.

Kylo’s face was still as white as chalk as he tried to sort through the chaos in his mind. Since awakening he hadn’t given much thought to the First Order, or that they might be looking for him as well as the Resistance pilot who he had been tracking, when their ensuing fight had made them both fall out of the sky. Kylo assumed that the other guy was dead. His X-wing had been trailing smoke when he had last fired on him. It was wholly ironic that Rey thought he was actually the downed hero of the Resistance instead of the enemy. He couldn’t deny the rush of pleasure that consumed him when she looked at him like he was some kind of hero.

“Ben, what are you going to do? It’s pretty remote out here but it won’t be long before the First Order casts their net wider and focuses on this part of the desert.” Rey’s voice startled him out of his introspection. He looked down at her, his eyes widening slightly at her closeness. Her scent was intoxicating; she smelt heavenly, like fresh-scented spring flowers. Gods, what was wrong with him? Her scent was like a drug to him, he couldn’t get enough of it or her. What was this scavenger doing to him? “Ben?” She said, snapping her fingers in front of his face to gain his attention.

Kylo was still in a complete daze. He didn’t feel able to string a coherent sentence together in case he embarrassed himself. “I don’t know.” He muttered.

“You really are still out of it.” Rey sighed as she peered up at his face. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”

Sick? Kylo grasped onto that word and ran with it. “I do feel lightheaded.” He admitted. It wasn’t a total lie. He was feeling giddy, but refrained from telling her she was the cause.

“Well you need to pull yourself together.” Rey was showing little sympathy, much to his chagrin. “You need to figure out what you’re going to do. Is there a way you can get in touch with your comrades?”

“The First Order?” Kylo gingerly stroked his aching temples. He had no idea of what he was saying.

“No, the Resistance.” Rey said in exasperation.

Kylo shook his head to try and clear it of the fragmented memories that hovered on the edges of his consciousness. “I can’t contact anyone. My comms system was destroyed when I crashed.”

“Oh.” Rey was crestfallen. She remained mute for a few minutes as she mulled over their options. “If anyone from the First Order sees you, then you’ll be captured right away. You’re still recovering from your fever and I hate to break it to you, but you look completely wrecked. I doubt you could put up much of a fight if you were forced to defend yourself.”

Kylo was insulted by her blunt assessment of his fighting skills. “You don’t know what I’m capable of!”

“Touchy much!” Rey scoffed. “You can hardly stand. You’re shaking.”

Kylo glowered at her, hating that she was right. He was weak, still confused by everything that had happened to him since he crashed. He didn’t know why he was so intent on hiding his true identity from the scavenger. She was no one special. He was just feeling grateful that she had taken care of him. That was all.

_“Liar_.” His inner voice taunted him. He unintentionally scowled in Rey’s direction when this traitorous thought popped into his head. Offended, she scowled right back.

“Don’t glare at me!” She snapped. “If you don’t need my help, then just say so.”

Words left Kylo. He stared into her lovely hazel eyes burning with indignation, and his heart fell silent.

“Well say something!” Rey demanded.

Kylo couldn’t will his lips to move. As if stuck underwater, everything was slow and warbled as Rey’s eyes desperately searched his…waiting. He knew he had to say something! He searched his mind for something impressive to say, but to his surprise his heart answered for him. “You fascinate me.” He blurted out.

It was hard to tell whose face was more crimson afterwards. Kylo wished he could grab the words and stuff them back into his mouth. He felt like a complete fool. Kylo could only conclude that his recent fever was causing him to suffer from some sort of verbal diarrhoea.

Rey cleared her throat awkwardly as she suddenly looked everywhere but at him. “Your only option is to find a ship and get off world.” She suggested.

“Now why didn’t I think of that!” Kylo exclaimed sarcastically. He turned in a slow circle looking at the undulating sand all around him. “Oh, look, there’s a good one. I’ll take that.” He continued, waving his hand at the empty air.

Rey’s cheeks flushed again in annoyance. “You really are an unpleasant man with a planet sized ego to match. I’m beginning to think I should just hand you over to the First Order right now.”

“Not all of them would thank you.” Kylo muttered darkly as he pictured Hux’s- his onetime rival-weaselly face staring at him in disdain. He certainly wouldn’t be pleased by his return. In fact, he was probably celebrating that he was still missing, secretly hoping that he was dead. Although his master would know different. Snoke would be able to tell through the Force that he was still alive and breathing. Thinking of Snoke made Kylo feel ill. He paled significantly as the blood rushed out of his body. He swayed on his feet, and was only saved from fainting completely, because Rey took pity on him and acted as his crutch.

“Here drink this.” Rey offered him her flask of water.

Kylo thanked her, his dark eyes showing how sorry he was. Rey, mollified by his change in demeanour, nodded her acceptance. “Your mood swings are giving me whiplash.”

“You’re not the first to tell me that.” Kylo sighed as he held the flask to his lips and let the warm water spill into his opened mouth.

“I bet.” Rey muttered as she quickly snatched the flask back before he drank all of the contents. “What I was going to say-before you decided to unleash your sarcasm on me-is that I can find you a ship. Plutt’s yard is full of them.”

Kylo regarded her thoughtfully. “How willing is this Plutt to negotiate?” He asked warily.

“There is no negotiating with Plutt.” Rey informed him bitterly. “He would only swindle you. No, if you want a ship, then we’re going to have to steal one.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“I thought you might.” Rey said sourly as she hitched the flask back onto her belt and walked toward her speeder.

* * *

Wind stirred up the wispy sand as Rey, with Kylo propped up behind her, flew across the sand on her speeder. The sun’s never-ending rays beat down on them mercilessly. Salty sweat rolled off Kylo’s brow and stung his eyes. His black clothing was overwhelmingly hot and sticky. The stiff, dry desert breeze blew sand into his eyes and made his thick black hair stiff with salt. HIs tongue felt as if was coated in fur and his lips were chapped and dry. He longed for crystal, cold water to quench his raging thirst. He didn’t know how Rey managed to stand living on this dry and dusty planet. Why did she stay? If she was so willing to help him steal a ship so he could escape, he didn’t understand why she hadn’t done the same for herself. She was clearly a clever and resourceful young woman, so why remain eking out a miserable existence on Jakku when she could go anywhere.

Suddenly the speeder drew to an abrupt halt. Feeling disorientated, Kylo watched dazedly as Rey slid off the speeder and onto the sand. She pulled her goggles up and placed them on top of her head as she raised her hand to shield her eyes against the sun’s harsh glare. Kylo had no idea what had caught her attention, his head was still spinning. He was about to ask her what was wrong, when he saw her snatch up her quarterstaff, and stride off into the distance wearing an angry expression.

“What the hell!” Kylo groaned as he slid off the back of the speeder and attempted to follow her quicker strides. He cursed his weak body as he tried to catch up to her. Rey was right, he would be useless in a fight. He was barely recovered from his illness and needed food to build up his strength. Thinking of food made his stomach rumble in protest.

Now he had a clearer view in front of him Kylo could see Rey confronting a Teedo, who sat astride one of their lumbering luggabeasts. In order to protect themselves against Jakku's heat, Teedos wore protective wrappings that covered much of their bodies. They made no distinction between individuals, and none had names, with each being known simply as Teedo. Kylo couldn’t hear what words were being exchanged, but by Rey’s angry stance it was clear that this creature had pissed her off in some way. He sighed wearily as he walked the rest of the way to join her.

It took him a couple of extra minutes to reach Rey. When he did, she had already knocked the unfortunate Teedo out with an impressive swipe of her quarterstaff. She was kneeling in the sand now, cutting an astromech droid out of one of Teedo’s nets.

“What are you doing?” Kylo called out when he reached her. “Did the Teedo steal this droid from you or something?”

“He stole it, but not from me.” Rey answered him breathlessly. She cut through the last strings and freed the droid. The little droid chirped gratefully. It had a dome head, similar to that of R2 series astromech droids, with the bulk of its body made up of a ball on which the droid's head rolled. It was mostly white, with some silver and orange on its body, as well as a black photoreceptor. “What’s your name?” Rey asked it politely.

The little droid whirred and beeped at her agitatedly. Rey listened carefully as it revealed its name. “Hello, BB-8. My name’s Rey.” She responded with a smile.

“Rey, we really haven’t got time for this. We need to get moving.” Kylo said impatiently. He couldn’t understand why she would waste time on a strange little droid. She really was too compassionate for her own good. Rey ignored him as she continued to converse with the droid. Kylo folded his arms across his broad chest and concentrated on trying not to faint. The sun was beating down on his head and making it spin again.

“Oh, you are in luck, BB-8.” Rey gushed loudly, drawing Kylo’s attention back to them. “He’s with the Resistance. He can help.” She turned around and pointed in his direction.

The little astromech beeped excitedly as it rolled in his direction across the soft sand. In its fervour the droid smacked right into Kylo’s left leg, causing him to topple over. He landed heavily on his butt, much to Rey’s amusement and his mortification.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	4. Millenium Falcon

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Four-Millennium Falcon **

The heat of the midday sun beat down on Kylo as he pushed himself back onto his feet. His clothing was overwhelmingly hot and sticky and he longed to strip off his black tunic just so he could get some air to his skin. He swept his fingers through the midnight strands of his hair in a vain attempt to shake the sweat out of it. He felt grotty, extremely hungry and thoroughly pissed off. The little astromech continued to whir and beep at him in its binary language.

“Aren’t you going to answer him?” Rey demanded as she came to stand by his side.

Unlike Kylo she wasn’t dripping in sweat. She was so acclimatised to the desert, that all she had show for the extreme heat beating down on them, was a sheen of fine perspiration coating the surface of the skin on her face. And unlike him it just enhanced the dewiness of her skin, while it made him feel utterly revolting. 

“We’re wasting time with this droid. Point it in the direction of Niima Outpost or something and we can be on our way.” Kylo responded testily.

Rey’s eyes narrowed as she prodded him in the side with the end of her quarterstaff. Kylo glared at her and she glared right back at him. “BB-8 needs our help. He has an important message to deliver to the Resistance. And as you are part of that said Resistance, I can’t understand why you are so against helping him.”

BB-8 let out a series of electronic beeps as it rolled toward him again. Its ridiculous dome head swivelled back making it look like the stupid droid was giving him a pleading look. Kylo stared down at it, his head still spinning from all that had happened to him. If he didn’t get some proper food and water soon, he felt like he was never going to recover. He couldn’t believe he had managed to complicate everything with his silly lies.

_“Tell the Scavenger the truth then.”_ His inner conscience whispered in his ear. “ _See her run when she realises exactly who it was, she ‘rescued.’ She won’t look at you like a hero then. She’ll look at you like a monster.”_

Kylo wanted to smack the traitorous voice out of his head. Why did his conscience always sound so much like Snoke? Thinking of his master brought his mood down ever further. He glared down at BB-8. The little droid retreated a little under the ferocity of his stare.

“We’ll help you, BB-8.” Rey promised as she hunkered down and began to straighten the aerial on it’s head. “And ignore Ben. He’s always grouchy.” She cooed.

Kylo watched in disbelief as Rey fawned over the droid like it was her baby or something. She was taking this compassion thing a bit too far. And now she had promised the thing that they would help it. “Explain to me how we’re gonna get that thing on the speeder without it rolling off?” He said sarcastically.

Rey looked up at him as if his final braincell had just popped right in front of her. “We’ll use the nets.” She answered, stating the obvious.

“They’re full of junk.” He pointed out.

“Then we’ll empty them.” Rey said exasperatedly as she spun gracefully back onto her feet.

“I thought you needed that junk to trade.” Kylo reminded her.

Rey’s cheeks turned slightly pink as she avoided meeting his eyes. “This is more important.” She muttered. “Now stop asking stupid questions and help me get BB-8 loaded up on the speeder.”

* * *

Niima Outpost was a junkyard settlement. The outpost was named for and founded by Niima the Hutt after the Battle of Jakku to capitalize on the new scavenging opportunities the battle created on the planet. It was also the only spaceport on the planet, although it was referred more as a landing field rather than a spaceport. Scavengers, like Rey, salvaged materials from the technology leftover from the Battle of Jakku. Salvage made up the backbone of the economy, but other branches such as black-market trading, mercenaries for hire, and other unlawful activities also existed.

When they finally reached the outpost, twilight was setting in. The desert at twilight was a vast undulating sea, punctuated by the shadowy silhouettes of cactus like plants, like great ghost ships upon the sandy waves. Rey didn’t go right into town. Instead, she stopped on the outskirts, turning the speeder off so as not to attract any unwanted attention. Even from this distance it was clear that the town was swarming with stormtroopers and other First Order personnel.

Kylo’s stomach growled as he silently observed the hive of activity going on in the town. To sate his hunger all he would have to do was march right into Niima Outpost and reveal himself. Within parsecs he would have a platoon of stormtroopers at his disposal, as well as access to gourmet food and fine wine. He could hand the BB unit over to the tech people. It wouldn’t take long before they pulled it apart and discovered the secrets it was hiding.

As for Rey….

Kylo turned his head to the side to look at her. She was busy concentrating on setting the droid free from the confines of the net strapped to the side of the speeder. What would happen to her? Dread owned him, pushing against him like an invisible gale. His stomach locked up tight, nothing getting in or out. He knew exactly what would happen to Rey. If Snoke found about her, about her latent Force ability, he would pull her apart just like the techs would do to the BB unit. He couldn’t let that happen. He would protect her from that. He owed her his life, getting her off world and away from the First Order’s clutches would help repay his debt to her. He would help her escape and then leave her with enough riches to set herself up somewhere safe. Maybe he could visit her from time to time in her new home. Maybe…

“Ben, some help would be nice.” Rey’s impatient voice busted him out of his private little fantasy. Shaking his head dazedly, Kylo ran clumsily over to join her.

* * *

It was the damn astromech’s fault, Kylo decided, he chased after Rey, his longer strides easily outpacing hers. They had managed to sneak into Niima Outpost without incident. Keeping to the shadows, they had made their way toward the shipyard in an attempt to commandeer a quadjumper. They had nearly reached their goal when out of nowhere the dumb droid suddenly began to kick up a hell of a fuss. It had spotted a stranger in the distance, apparently wearing his former master’s jacket. BB-8 had quickly rolled off after the stranger, chirping and whining loudly.

Rey, being Rey, wouldn’t listen to Kylo’s entreaties to leave the darn thing to its own devices. Instead she decided to sprint after the droid. Frustrated beyond belief at the sheer stupidity of what she was doing, Kylo had been forced to follow her. What happened afterwards was like something out of a bad holo-comedy. Rey had reached the dark-skinned stranger first. After a quick consultation with BB-8, who confirmed that the guy was indeed wearing his master’s stolen jacket, Rey had deftly poleaxed the thief with her quarterstaff, knocking him out cold. For some bizarre reason only known to herself, she wrestled the jacket off the comatose guy, giving a self-satisfied smile as she pushed her arms through the long sleeves of the jacket and pulled it on.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kylo demanded when he finally reached her.

Rey just grinned at him, acting like it was no big deal that they had just given their presence away. She was bubbling with energy and looked like she was totally enjoying herself. In the distance Kylo could hear the familiar whine of a squadron of Tie Fighters headed their way. As he opened his mouth to yell at her to run, he happened to glance down at the unconscious thief lying sparko on the sand, and his dark brown eyes widened in recognition. The ‘jacket thief’ was actually a stormtrooper, FN-8127.

Kylo didn’t have time to ponder this odd turn of events, the Tie Fighters were storming overhead. Grabbing Rey’s hand, he towed her after him as they attempted to dodge a hail of laser fire. Plumes of sand flew up around them as the Tie’s failed and missed their target. BB-8 rolled after them at top speed, whirring and chirping in distress.

“Which way to the shipyard?” Kylo yelled to Rey as he tried to make himself heard above the constant laser fire.

“Left and then straight ahead.” Rey shouted as she pulled her hand out of his and took the lead. Zigzagging left to right in order to avoid getting hit by the screaming Tie’s, she was the first to stumble into the shipyard. “There!” She called breathlessly over her shoulder to Kylo. “There’s the quadju-“

Before she could even finish saying the word, one of the Tie Fighters aimed its weapons at the quadjumper. This one found its target. To their horror, the quadjumper ignited in a fiery ball of yellow flame, billowing outwards, and blinding them with heat.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Kylo swore like a trooper. Stinging tears streamed down his sunburned cheeks as the acrid smoke made his eyes water. “What now?”

“Over there!” Rey called to him as she pointed in the direction of an old freighter that had not flown for years. “Its garbage, but it will have to do.”

Kylo’s vison was still blurred by the thick smoke pouring off the destroyed quadjumper. He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands in a vain attempt to clear them. When he finally managed to see through the fog his jaw dropped and another string of expletives left his mouth. Parked a few meters away from him was the Millennium Falcon. His shocked gaze drank in the familiar contours of his father’s ship. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. What was the Falcon doing in the back end of nowhere?

Rey was right to call it a piece of garbage. Its aged appearance belied numerous advanced modifications to boost the ship's speed, weapons, and shield, including a hyperdrive engine among the fastest in the entire galaxy, enabling it to outrun Imperial Star Destroyers. It included sensor-proof smuggling compartments, which his father had made good use of in the past on his many smuggling expeditions. Kylo felt like he was taking a journey back into his past as he thundered up the ramp behind Rey, with BB-8 hot on his heels. He didn’t have much time to wonder what the hell he was doing as he raced to the cockpit, slid into the pilot’s seat and began to fire up the engines.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	5. A Face from the Past

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Five-A Face from the Past **

Kylo’s head was filled with painful memories of his childhood as he powered up his father’s ship. The Millennium Falcon shuddered, the engines pouring smoke after being unused for so long. He worried that the old freighter wouldn’t make it off the ground, but after he had tried a few of his father’s old tricks, the Falcon started to rise.

“You seem very familiar with this ship.” Rey’s tone was full of curiosity as she watched him flip a few switches and tap into the navigation system.

“Why are you still here?” Kylo said impatiently as one of the Tie Fighters whirled overhead. “Go and man one of the quad laser cannons and get rid of those Tie’s on our tail.”

Rey shot him a sour look as she left the cockpit and disappeared into the bowels of the ship. Kylo let out a gusty sigh. He hadn’t meant to take his uneasiness out on her. She didn’t deserve it. He was worried that the longer she spent in his company she would discover he was a fraud. She was already questioning why he seemed so at ease in the cockpit. How much longer could he really conceal the truth from her? It was his own tangled web of lies that had gotten him into this mess, but something inside stopped Kylo from revealing his true identity.

The Falcon shuddered as he spun the old girl on her axis. One of the Tie’s chasing them got in a lucky strike causing the ship to groan in protest. Kylo heard BB-8 whining in panic as the little droid was flung all over the place. From down below Kylo heard the retaliatory canon fire. The sound was followed by a plume of black smoke as Rey found her target.

“She is good!” Kylo muttered under his breath as he concentrated on steering the Falcon along the rough terrain ahead.

* * *

Kylo expertly piloted the Falcon into open space. Stars filled the sky like pale corn into freshly turned ground. It was the promise of life in the darkness, a sense of warmth springing from the cold. No matter the years that passed, Kylo saw each night sky as a fresh gift given anew. It was the moment anyone that knew him would see his eyes smile and his breathing deepen just a little. Sitting in the very same seat his father used to occupy when he piloted the Falcon was so surreal. He began to drown in memories again, some good, some bad.

With Han and Leia both often not around for his formative years, Kylo tried everything he could to be like his father. Even honing his inherited piloting skills to match those of Han, but as the Force grew within him, his parents would often argue about his lineage not so subtly. Upon hearing their heated discussions about him, he began to feel unwanted, unloved, and a monster. His feelings of abandonment and neglect grew until he was sent away at the age of ten to train as a Jedi under Skywalker.

His mournful thoughts about his early childhood were interrupted by Rey as she came bounding back into the cockpit, practically vibrating with excitement at their narrow escape. She slid into the co-pilots seat and beamed at him joyfully. “That was such a rush! You are one hell of a pilot!”

Kylo wasn’t used to receiving compliments, only degradation. The tips of his ears turned red as he averted his gaze. “Anyone with a semblance of skill could have done it. Even someone like you.” He muttered.

Rey’s joyful smile slowly faded at his less than stellar response. Instead of accepting her praise he had turned it into an insult. She felt her cheeks grow warm with silent mortification as she concentrated her gaze on the console. It was only then that she saw the flashing warning light indicating there was something amiss with the Falcon’s propulsion system. Kylo was so self-absorbed he hadn’t even noticed. Rey said nothing as she left him in the cockpit to wallow alone while she attempted to fix the problem by herself.

“I’ll show him!” She mumbled under her breath. She quickly located a toolbox and upended it, spilling the contents all over the metal flooring. Taking a few parsecs to sort through the myriad tools, she pulled up one of the panels in the floor and lowered herself down into the compartment underneath. 

BB-8 rolled toward her, stopping just shy of the exposed hole. He let out a series of whistles and beeps as he expressed his agitation. He rolled back when Rey’s hand suddenly appeared at the top of the hole, her fingers gliding along the metal flooring as she tried to search for a hyperspanner. It remained frustratingly out of reach, forcing her head to pop as she searched for it. To her chagrin, Kylo appeared in her line of sight. The toe of his boot nudged the spanner away from her questing fingers.

“Do you even know what you’re doing, Rey?” He lectured her. “One wrong move and you could flood the whole ship with poisonous gas. And I, for one, don’t plan on dying today.”

“I can fix it.” Rey scowled up at him, her fingers finally finding the hyperspanner. “And at least I’m doing something instead of brooding like a spoiled child in the cockpit.”

Kylo’s scowl was the mirror of hers as he watched Rey disappear under the flooring again. He hunkered down, intending to continue his lecture when BB-8 accidentally knocked into him. He glared at the little astromech, causing the small droid to roll backward in alarm.

“The propulsion system is leaking.” Rey’s head popped up again as she demanded Kylo pass her another tool.

“I know that.” He said testily as he passed her the tool she was looking for. “And I wasn’t brooding.”

Rey rolled her eyes as she dived back underneath the flooring. “I really don’t care.” Her voice was slightly muffled as it filtered up from below. “As soon as I drop you and BB-8 off at the Resistance base we can go our separate ways.”

Kylo could feel his silent panic building like an unstoppable snowball in the pit of his stomach. He suddenly lost all concentration. “What are you talking about? Where are you going to go?”

“Home.”

“To Jakku?” Kylo’s heart began to beat faster and harder at the ridiculousness off that statement. “You can’t be serious. Why would you…?”

Rey reappeared again; her expression impassive. “What I do is none of your business. Just tell me where the Resistance base is?”

The thoughts began to accelerate in Kylo’s head. He wanted them to slow so he could breathe but they continued to rattle around his frazzled brain like blaster bolts. He didn’t know how to answer her. His incessant lies were catching up with him. His desperate eyes landed on BB-8. “He’ll tell you.”

BB-8 glided backward, chirping warily in its binary language. Kylo tried to rearrange his stern features into something non-threatening, but his attempt fell flat. Rey made an irritated sound at the back of her throat as she dived back under the floor again when she heard a strange hissing noise. In her temporary absence Kylo drew closer to the droid, dropping down on his hands and knees so he was more on BB-8’s level. He pointed his forefinger in front of the jittery astromech and grimaced.

“Look I’m not with the Resistance, okay.” He admitted in a low voice. “But my mother is. And I’m trying to find her. So, I need you to help me out here. It will be win win for both of us. I get you back to the base and you can pat yourself on the back that you reunited a mother and her son. What do you say, droid?”

BB-8 let out a curious whistle as he rolled a little closer to Kylo. He was asking him to confirm who his mother actually was. Kylo fumbled around, struggling internally whether it was a wise decision to entrust the skittish astromech with his darkest secret. He just hoped that BB-8 was ignorant of the fact that it was General Organa’s son who was the man beneath Kylo Ren’s mask.

“Leia Organa Solo is my mother. I’m Ben…. Solo.” He said as he reluctantly revealed his birth name.

BB-8 emitted a series of shocked beeps. He began to babble at Kylo enthusiastically. Kylo tried to quieten the excitable droid, but Rey had already been disturbed by its fervent response to his surprising revelation. She reappeared again, the muscles in her arms flexing as she pulled herself out of the compartment under the floor.

“What is all the commotion? A girl can’t hear herself think.” She complained as she wiped her hands on the front of her tunic, dirtying it further. “So, where’s the base then?”

Kylo gave BB-8 a pleading look. A small lighter shot out of BB-8’s base as he signalled his agreement that he would keep Kylo’s secret. Kylo raised his own thumb in return, silently thanking the droid for his co-operation. Rey looked at them both curiously, completely bewildered by this chummy display. “Am I missing something?”

“Nothing.” Kylo tried to act casual as he pushed himself back onto his feet. “BB-8 is about to tell us… I mean _you_ …. where the base is.”

Rey put her hands on her hips. “Well?” She asked impatiently as she focused her attention on BB-8. The small droid responded with a few bell-like whistles and beeps. “I see…the IIeennium system.” She smiled tiredly. “Okay, we’ll set a course for- “

She never got to finish her sentence. The Millennium Falcon shuddered violently, causing her to lose her footing. Rey stumbled, colliding with Kylo. She emitted a small gasp of surprise when she felt his strong arms close around her in a vain attempt to keep them both upright. He instinctively pulled her closer when the ship juddered again. His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms seemed very protective when wrapped around her thin frame. Rey blushed as she fought the urge to nestle closer. Feeling flustered, she broke free from the comforting circle of his arms and stepped back a few paces in order to put some distance between them.

“What’s going on?” She said hoarsely.

“We’re caught in a tractor beam.” Ben answered hastily as the Falcon began to lose power. He muttered an oath under his breath, beyond irritated that he kept lurching from one disaster to another.

“Is it a First Order ship?” Rey licked her lips nervously.

“No.” Kylo was certain about that. But even if it wasn’t the First Order, it didn’t mean the person who had captured them was any less friendly. “We need to hide.” He motioned for Rey to climb back through the gap in the floor. He was impressed when she quickly did his bidding. When he was sure that she was safe he picked up the little BB unit and handed it down to her, before hurrying after them. Kylo had only just pulled the panel back into place when he heard the familiar hiss of the Falcon’s pistons as the ramp lowered and whoever had captured them entered the ship.

Huddling together in a darkened corner, the three of them waited with baited breath as the intruders stormed the ship. Despite Kylo’s protestations to the contrary, Rey was still convinced that they had been boarded by First Order troops. She secretly made a plan to release the poisonous gas into the ship to kill what she assumed would be stormtroopers, but was stopped in her endeavour when the panel above their heads was ripped open, revealing their captors. Her stricken gaze went straight to Kylo, only to find his face had completely drained of all colour as he stared up at the grizzled visage of the older man and his Wookie companion, who were looking down at them.

“Ben?” The older man said gruffly as his eyes widened in recognition.

Rey felt completely bewildered. “Ben, do you know him?” She whispered frantically. “Who is he?”

Kylo’s voice was bleak when he answered. “His name is Han Solo. He’s... he’s my father.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review if you have the time._ **


	6. Father and Son

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Six-Father and Son **

With a heavy heart Kylo was the first to climb out of the compartment. He could barely look at the man who had sired him, still too shocked to process that he was once again sharing the same space as Han Solo. How long had it been since he’d seen his father? He was too overwrought to conjure up a time frame. Any minute now his true identity was going to be exposed and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Kylo could feel his father’s eyes boring a hole in his back as he leaned down and held out his hand to assist Rey. She took it gratefully as he hoisted her out of the compartment underneath the floor. BB-8 soon followed.

Perspiration broke out on his skin as he turned back to face Han and Chewie. A painful throbbing began behind his eyes as he finally gathered enough courage to finally meet Han’s enquiring gaze. Kylo was shocked at just how much his father had aged. He was no longer the charming scoundrel of his youth. His face was heavily lined, his complexion drawn and carrying a weariness that only came from a lifetime spent just trying to survive. His stricken gaze slid to Chewie. The tall Wookie looked exactly the same, albeit a little more stooped then he used to be.

Han was as equally overwhelmed as his son. He swallowed thickly, rubbing a hand over his face as he fought to compose himself. “You’re the last person I expected to see.” He said eventually.

“I bet.” Kylo couldn’t conceal the bitterness in his tone.

Han’s brows drew together in a deep frown as he continued to regard Kylo warily. Chewie whined a little, but didn’t interfere, preferring to follow Han’s lead. Eventually Han’s gaze slid to Rey who had thus far maintained a respectful silence. “And you are?” He asked gruffly.

“I’m Rey.” She said, smiling slightly as she held out her hand toward him.

Han seemed bemused, but he took her hand and shook it slightly. “Nice to meet you, Rey. I’m Han and this is Chewie.” He said, pointing to his hairy companion.

“I know who you are.” Rey enthused. “You’re the famous smuggler-turned-Rebel fighter Han Solo and Chewbacca. I met two off-worlders at Niima Outpost once-Wookies-and they told me all about your famous exploits.” Her excited eyes landed on Kylo. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Han Solo’s son? I can’t believe it!”

“I doubt it would be something he would want to boast about, sweetheart.” Han said heavily as his eyes flicked back to his glowering son.

Rey faltered, her face registering confusion as she finally picked up on the tension between the two men. “Oh.” She murmured, the awed light in her eyes dying.

Fear engulfed Kylo’s conscience, knocking all other thoughts aside. His silent panic tortured his guts, churning his stomach in tense cramps as he waited for his father to expose his true identity to Rey. He tried to assess his father’s mood and fell short; he had no idea what Han was thinking. Kylo wondered how long it had been since he had been in contact with his mother. The two of them had been leading such separate lives when they had shipped him off to Luke. Were they even still together now? Kylo didn’t think so, but wasn’t entirely sure. His parents had countless reconciliations over the years. They couldn’t live with each other, but they couldn’t let go, either.

“So how did you two hook up?” Han was driven to ask as his curious gaze encompassed Rey.

Rey’s face burned at the implication behind Han’s words. She was completely mortified. “We’re not…I mean…. we barely know each other…. I….” She took a deep breath as she tried to regain her poise. “I think this is where I make a graceful exit and let you two talk. It was nice to meet you, Han. And Chewie.” She added as she hastily left to give them some privacy, taking BB-8 with her.

“Must you always be so crass?” Kylo demanded curtly.

Han threw him an irritated look. “It got her to leave, didn’t it? Or are you ready for her to find out the truth about you?”

Fear overwhelmed Kylo’s body, making his skin burn. However, most of all, the fear was making him calm and that’s what scared him the most. It was how he always felt before he went into battle. He would use that to focus his mind, to give him strength for the brutal task ahead. But this wasn’t a physical battle, but a mental one. The two situations were drastically different and he knew he needed to separate the two before everything came crashing down around him.

“What are you doing, Ben?” Han persisted when he didn’t respond. “Its obvious that girl knows nothing about who you really are. How did you get hold of the Falcon?”

“And how did you lose it?” Ben countered sarcastically. “Did you use it as collateral to cover another one of your gambling debts?”

Chewbacca intervened, roaring loudly in defence of Han. Han frowned, raising his forefinger at Kylo as he tried to keep his temper under control. “You have no right to belittle me after everything you’ve done.”

Kylo’s emotional pain was acute as he glared at his father. He was one more blow away from breaking. “You know nothing about me or what I’ve had to endure.” He accused.

“Endure!” Han scoffed. “You turned on Luke and destroyed everything he had built. You burned down the Jedi temple and killed all those innocent Padawans before running off like a coward to join the First Order!”

Kylo knew when the difficult conversation started it would break him. Breaking was hard, recovery almost impossible. Han’s unfounded accusations pushed him over the edge and he lashed out at his father, hitting him hard on the jaw. Han grunted with pain as he staggered backward. Chewie immediately used his greater height and weight to restrain Kylo, yanking his arms up high behind his back in an attempt to keep him still.

The Force began to swirl around Kylo like a current of electricity. His chaotic emotions were careering out of control. The pain was always at the back of his mind like a pulse. Other times it pushed itself forward demanding attention in fraught circumstances such as this. Cutting his heart and mind in half. Stinging with every breath he took. Kylo could easily escape Chewie’s clutches if he really wanted to, but something stopped him breaking free. He turned his resentful gaze onto Han, who stood a few feet away nursing his bruised jaw.

“I didn’t turn on Skywalker, he turned on me.” He ground out through clenched teeth.

Han stared at him, confusion clouding his vision. “What?”

“I woke up the night the temple burned to find him about to strike me down with his saber in my sleep.” Kylo continued bitterly. “I used the Force to collapse the hut down on top of him to save myself.”

“No.” Han whispered in horror as he shook his head in denial. “Luke would never…”

“He did!” Kylo cried hoarsely. “He tried to kill me! I don’t know why. When the hut fell on him, I thought he was dead. I ran outside only to find a strange storm brewing…and…and then I don’t know what happened…the temple, it was burning…” Kylo felt like he was suffocating under the weight of his horrific memories. “I swear I didn’t kill any of the other Padawans. I tried to get inside and save some of them but the temple…it exploded… and…and….”

During his garbled speech, Chewie had released him. The Wookie looked over Kylo’s head to see Han staring at his son with glassy eyes filled with horror. Chewie let out a pained whine which seemed to jolt Han into action. He reached up and gripped the back of Kylo’s neck tightly, drawing his son’s head onto his shoulder while Kylo’s shoulders heaved as he choked on his own despair.

“I didn’t know, Ben. I didn’t know. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” Han lamented roughly. His brown eyes remained tight with suppressed grief as he intensified his grip on his son. “But I’m here now.”

* * *

Rey fiddled with the antenna on top of BB-8’s head nervously. She hoped the emotional confrontation Ben was having with his father would be over soon. She wondered what had made them so estranged from one another. She could still hear the sounds of their muffled voices, but struggled to make out actual words. Rey knew if she had a famous father like Han Solo, she would never allow herself to become alienated from him like Ben had. Ben didn’t seem to realise how lucky he was and it aggravated her immensely.

Rey finished adjusting the antenna and patted BB-8 affectionately. “All done.” She said with a small smile. Suddenly the Falcon shuddered, losing power once again. Rey rose slowly to her feet, eyes wide with anxiety. “What now?” She mumbled as she motioned for BB-8 to follow her.

The little droid beeped agitatedly as it rolled quickly in her wake. As she rounded the corner, she nearly collided with Kylo who had come looking for her. Rey’s eyes widened when she took note of the red ringing his dark brown eyes and what looked like the silvery tracks of tears drying on his skin. “Ben, what happened?” She asked anxiously.

“We’re being boarded.” He revealed hurriedly.

“By who?” Rey gasped.

Kylo let out a weary sigh. “Some criminal gang my Dad’s swindled. They’ve come to recover what he owes.”

“Oh.” Rey felt deflated as her high estimation of Han Solo disintegrated. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to judge Ben on his relationship with his father. There was clearly a lot she didn’t know.

“We need to hide. Come on.” Kylo pulled up a panel from the floor and ushered her into the same compartment they had sheltered in before.

“What are Han and Chewie going to do?” Rey asked worriedly as she lowered her slim body through the gap in the floor.

“Same thing they always do.” Kylo said wryly. “Talk their way out of trouble.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	7. Breakthrough

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter on this story._ **

** Chapter Seven-Breakthrough **

Rey breathed slowly, her chest rising and falling with the sedative qualities of a lullaby. It was so quiet that Kylo could hear each breath with ease. His own breath stuttered as she drew closer to him, the warmth emanating from her body doing indescribable things to his. Kylo tried to get his own breathing to return to normal, but it hitched again when he felt Rey’s shoulder accidentally graze the material of his tunic as she shifted around to get more comfortable. What was she doing to him?

“You need to keep still.” He warned her in a harsh whisper.

“I don’t feel comfortable hiding.” Rey whispered back. “What if your father can’t talk his way out of trouble?”

“Believe me Han Solo has blagged his way out of tighter spots then this.” Kylo revealed reluctantly.

Kylo was no more then a silhouette in front of her. She had only his black fluid outline from which to guess his emotions. His voice sounded strained, probably as a result of being confronted with his estranged parent, she guessed. Rey had no idea that she was the real source of his tension. She wondered how long he had been at odds with his father.

“This could be a good thing.” She said in a low voice.

“What?” Kylo asked impatiently. He was trying to focus on what was unfolding above them. He could hear the muffled sounds of his father’s voice in the distance and the gang leader’s response, but he was having trouble making out the words.

“This reunion with your father. It could give you a chance to reconnect again. I’m sure if…”

“You are so naïve!” Kylo cut in bitingly. “You have no idea….”

“All I know is, if I had a chance to reconnect with my parents, I would put aside all of my negative emotions and memories, and simply forgive.” Rey interrupted him sadly. “Life is too short.”

She sounded so despondent that it silenced Kylo. It was the first time Rey had mentioned her parents and it suddenly made him realise what all the scratches on the wall of the walker signified. He heard Rey let out a softly deflating sigh beside him; it was as if a tension had lifted yet left her with a melancholy instead of relief. He felt utterly selfish.

“How long have your parents been gone, Rey?” He asked gently.

“They’ll come back for me.” She said stoutly. Kylo could imagine her lips quiver as she spoke. “I know it.”

“Rey…” Kylo murmured as he felt a wave of pity consume him. He knew she was deluding herself, but could tell she wasn’t ready to accept the truth that her parents had simply abandoned her.

“They’ll be back.” Rey insisted. “I heard one of them say so…. I think it was a man’s voice. It had to be my father…. he called me sweetheart.”

Pity turned to compassion as Kylo reached out and let his hand hover near her shoulder. He had a strong urge to comfort her, but wasn’t sure she would welcome his pathetic attempt to make her feel better. His hand slowly dropped back to his side. Kylo could barely make out her face in the darkness, but he saw the outline of her hand as she raised it wipe away a tear. There was an aching loneliness about her that touched his troubled soul. He knew all about that feeling.

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

The sound of blaster fire coming from above, followed by a gaggle of raised voices, jolted Kylo into action. He warned Rey to remain quiet and stay with the droid while he went to investigate.

“I’m coming with you.” Rey insisted as she captured his arm in a vain attempt to stop him leaving.

“You’ve got no weapon, Rey. What are you going to defend yourself with?” Kylo snapped impatiently.

“I’ve got my staff.” She continued stubbornly.

“Which is great for close combat but useless against blaster bolts. Just please stay here where it’s safe.” Kylo pleaded.

“You haven’t got a weapon, either.” Rey challenged him. “How is that any different?”

Kylo didn’t want to point out that his weapon had been clipped to his belt all along. When Rey had nursed him through his fever, she hadn’t taken much notice of what he carried with him. The cylindrical object attached to his belt hadn’t held much significance for her, she had been too busy looking after him. “I’m trained for this.” He told her. “I’ll be alright.”

“But what if you get hurt?” Rey couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice.

“You’re actually worried about me?” Kylo said in surprise. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone showed any concern if he lived or died. It set off a strange ripple of elation through him, knowing that someone actually cared.

Kylo laid his hand lightly on her shoulder, and instead of the flinch he was expecting, she actually seemed to be soothed by his touch. He left his hand there and spoke with such a soft voice Rey felt his words calming her more by the way they were said than the actual words. It felt as if she was wrapped in a blanket of his caring. It made her consider her actions now, now that she could see how profoundly they affected him too.

“I’ll stay here.” She promised.

“Good. I’ll come back for you.” Kylo said as he reluctantly took his leave.

Rey’s eyes glazed with tears as she watched him go. She realised if he had just added the endearment ‘sweetheart’ at the end of his vow then it would have matched the exact words she believed her father had said to her before he had left her alone on Jakku.

* * *

The Eravana had been boarded by both the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub, two criminal organizations that Han Solo had swindled into loaning him money so he could smuggle rathtars to King Prana. Han had unsuccessfully tried to talk his way out of the situation. It had all gone south very quickly and only got worse when Chewie had the bright idea of to shut all of the doors between him and Han and the two gangs. Unfortunately, he accessed the wrong door controls, however, and accidentally unleashed the monstrous rathtars, which ran loose across the ship. Chaos ensued as the separate gangs drew their blasters in an attempt to defend themselves from the raging creatures. Han and Chewie had taken the opportunity to take refuge on the Falcon. When Kylo encountered them, they were simultaneously firing on the gang members and the rathtars.

“Typical.” Kylo mumbled under his breath as he drew his lightsaber and ignited it. The red plasma blade shot out, hissing and crackling like a swarm of angry vipers, much like Kylo himself as he strode determinedly past his shocked parent and the awed Wookie.

Han had never seen his son fight and was soon completely transfixed. The sheer size of Kylo, along with his intimidating presence, soon had the two gangs scurrying away like a horde of cowardly womprats. Kylo’s unique weapon was too legendary for them not to realise who was coming for them. Han watched his son’s choreographed dance of destruction as he tore into the rathars, chopping off their long tentacles with quick even strokes of his crossguarded saber.

It didn’t take long for Kylo to dispatch the rathars. His tall frame shuddered with each consumed breath as he surveyed the monsters charred remains. His heart beat violently in his chest. It pounded like it was going to crack one of his ribs. His senses were on high alert. Every colour was brighter, every noise louder, every stranger a cause to make his heart beat more fiercely still. It was always like that in the aftermath of battle. His adrenaline would continue to surge long afterwards, heightening each sense to remarkable levels as the Force coursed through him.

“Ben.” Han’s gruff voice came from behind him. Kylo revolved slowly until he was facing his father, the red blade of his saber continued to vibrate beside him as he refused to shut it down.

“Ben.” Han said again as he took a cautious step in his direction.

Kylo looked at Han bitterly, noting the fear in his father’s eyes. Nothing had changed. Han still thought of him as a monster. “You’re still afraid. You still see me as a monster.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never said that.” Han refuted as he took another step forward.

“You don’t have to. I see it in your eyes.” Kylo continued in the same dull tone. He finally shut down his weapon and held it in both hands.

“You’re wrong.” Han retorted as he closed the gap and stood in front of his son. He grabbed hold of the saber and the two of them remained in a silent standoff. Chewie remained close by, observing them quietly.

Kylo remembered what Rey had said to him, that if she had a chance to reconnect with her parents, she would put aside all negative emotions and memories, and simply forgive. He wanted to quell the hammering in his chest, but there was no way that would happen now. He looked into Han’s eyes, his chin quivering with emotion. “I'm being torn apart.” He admitted desolately. “I want to be free of this pain. And I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?"

Han’s eyes showed the kind of gentle concern that Kylo had always longed for. He breathed deeply as his father reached out and placed his hand on the side of his face in a simple gesture of love. Every person needs a harbour, a secure attachment of love - for without one we are in such pain, so lost, shutting down. Han wasn’t great at expressing himself, his actions always spoke louder than words and he let them speak for him now.

Chewie, watching them, couldn’t remain a silent observer any longer. He let out a small whine as he loped over to his best friend and surrogate nephew and engulfed them in a bear hug.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	8. First Connection

** Halo  **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Eight-First Connection **

Rey was desperate to know what was going on, but she kept her promise and stayed hidden in the compartment under the floor with BB-8. She did her best to ignore the sounds of battle going on up above and focused her attention on the small droid instead.

“He’ll come back for us, BB-8. You don’t need to worry.” Rey said aloud for her benefit as much as the droid’s.

BB-8’s dome head swivelled back as he looked up at her. He emitted a series of beeps and whistles in his binary language. Rey smiled weakly at his attempt to comfort her. In their short acquaintance she had already become attached to the jittery little astromech.

“I’m going to miss you, BB-8.” She said as she hunkered down and began to fiddle with the aerial on top of his head again. BB-8 let out a despondent whistle. “I’m sorry, but after I’m sure that you’ve made it safely to the Resistance base, then I’ll be going back home.”

BB-8’s dome head drooped in disappointment. Rey gently ran her fingers across the little droid’s head in a gesture of affection as her melancholy surrounded her like a cloak. She tried to shake it off, but it clung to her like a tight shroud. Her mood ricocheted between low and lower and her mind became clouded with grey at the thought of returning to her old life on Jakku. She knew she had to. It wasn’t a choice. She had already been away for far too long. What if she had missed her parents in her absence?

Suddenly all sounds of fighting ceased. Rey tensed, rising slowly as she looked up at the tiny rays of light filtering through the gaps in the metal flooring above her head. Her breath seemed to stutter in her lungs before she released it. Only returning to normal when the panel was yanked up and the tall Wookie’s hairy face appeared in her line of sight.

“Is…is everyone okay?” Rey asked cautiously. She couldn’t quite quell the slight disappointment that it was Chewbacca who had come to fetch her and not Ben like he’d promised.

Chewie answered in his native dialect- Shyriiwook. Rey had learned enough of the language to understand the basics. She smiled in relief when he told her that the others were perfectly fine. The monstrous rathtars had been culled and the gangs had dispersed, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be back. Han had decided to abandon the Eravana and make their escape on the Falcon. Rey hastily lifted BB-8 and passed him to Chewbacca, before taking the Wookie’s hand herself as he assisted her out of the underground compartment.

* * *

As Rey climbed into the Falcon’s cockpit, she heard bickering. She found Han in the pilot’s seat, with Kylo acting as co-pilot. They were preparing the ship for launch, but something was wrong with the ignition line and it was stopping them from jumping straight into hyperspace. The two of them were arguing about it.

“Nothing changes with this old piece of junk. Whenever you’re in dire straits it always lets you down.” Kylo complained as he ripped open the console with his bare hands and pulled out a tangle of wires.

“Hey!” Han protested at the mess his son was making. “Do not disrespect the Falcon. She’s gotten me out of tighter spots then this one.” He yelled. “You’re forgetting that she made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs.”

“Are you still peddling that old lie?” Kylo growled as he shot his father an exasperated glare. Chewie roared his agreement and Han scowled over his shoulder at his first mate.

The Falcon shuddered, nearly causing Rey to lose her footing. She grabbed the back of the co-pilots chair to steady herself. “It’s probably the modifications Plutt made to it…and I didn’t get to fix the propulsion system, remember.” She reminded Kylo.

“Kriffing hell, I forgot about that.” Kylo muttered.

“Well it’s a pretty big thing to forget about, don’t you think?” Han exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

“I’ll sort it.” Kylo muttered irritably as he swung out of the co-pilots chair and stormed out of the cockpit.

“You better go help him.” Han ordered an amused Chewie. “You know how chaotic he can be. Do you remember when he was five and stowed away on the ship when we went to smuggle those rare butterflies?”

The amusement quickly faded from Chewbacca’s dark eyes as he hastily followed in Kylo’s wake, roaring for him to wait. Confused, Rey sank into the vacated co-pilot’s seat and looked questioningly at Han. “What happened?”

Han shook his head, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He flicked a few switches. “Ben loved the Falcon. He was always begging to come with me on my missions when he was little.” A wistful expression crossed his face as he checked the navigational controls.

As Rey listened to Han speak, she absently took the wires that Kylo had left dangling from the console and began to work on them. An image of a young boy appeared in her mind; his pale face peeking out from underneath a thatch of thick black hair. He was clinging to Han’s leg, begging him not to go as tears rolled down his cheeks. The image seemed so real that it made Rey gasp. She knew she hadn’t been the one that had conjured it into her mind, it felt like the image was coming from someone else’s memory. As soon as that thought entered her mind the image of the bereft little boy vanished.

“He stowed away.” Han continued, unaware of Rey’s silent distress. “Chewie and I were halfway to our destination when we realised, we were leaking fuel. We went to look for the source, only to find Ben had beaten us to it.” He shook his head at the memory. “The silly boy had my toolbox open and was trying to fix the problem using a lighter to see what he was doing. If we hadn’t caught him when we did, he would have blown the whole ship to kingdom come.”

Rey didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the story. She twisted the wires together and suddenly the console lit up like stars on a clear night. Han grinned as he turned to face her. “What did you do?”

“I bypassed the compressor.” Rey said in wonder, a big smile lighting up her face. “It must have been putting too much stress on the hyperdrive.”

“Well done. You sure know your stuff!” Han praised her as he punched the controls and sent the Millennium Falcon careering into hyperspace.

* * *

Han left a delighted Rey piloting the Falcon with Chewie. She was still bursting with pride at her achievement, the praise from an experienced pilot like Solo only heightening her joy. “She’s a clever girl that one.” Han said as he sat in the common room with his son, playing a game of Dejarik.

“All self-taught.” Kylo moved one of the holographic creatures across the circular board and watched with satisfaction as it used its heavy club to batter Han’s creature over the head.

Han huffed an impatient breath as his countermove failed to make up for his former mistake. He switched off the game before his son could declare himself victorious.

“You always were a sore loser.” Kylo pointed out easily as he stretched his long legs in front of him.

Han regarded Kylo thoughtfully. Since jumping into hyperspace, they had been busy fixing the propulsion system. When they had sorted out that problem, they had quickly found another. There was an electrical overload and a coolant leak. They had managed to transfer auxiliary power to the second tank, but they needed to stop soon and make urgent repairs. It had forced them to change course from the Ileenium system to Takadona instead, where Han intended to enlist the help of Maz Kanata, a pirate and collector who had operated a pirate castle on the planet for a thousand years.

“What are you planning on doing, Ben?” Han asked eventually.

Kylo felt a heavy gloom settle on his shoulders. It seeped into his pores, travelling to his heart which beat more morosely. His eyes became unfocused as he brooded. “I don’t know.”

“What about the girl?” Han persisted.

Kylo’s eyes flicked to the ladder leading up to the cockpit. He could hear the gentle cadence of Rey’s voice as she spoke with Chewie. Occasionally there was a low whistle from BB-8 as the little droid tried to join in the conversation. He’d felt lost for so long it's what he was used to, like a person who gets used to being beat and accepts that this is their life now. It's not that he liked the feeling, quite the opposite. There's nothing lonelier, nothing that brings more desolation to the soul.

“She wants to go back to Jakku.” He said dully.

“What the hell for?” Han was genuinely confused.

“That’s not my story to tell.” Kylo ran his fingers through the midnight strands of his hair, suddenly feeling restless.

Han didn’t probe any further. He could already see the tension building in his son and didn’t want to risk pushing him away by saying the wrong thing. “You know you could always just ride along with me and Chewie for a while until you figure out what you want to do next. I could always use a second mate-the girl too, if she wants.” He offered casually.

“Second mate?” Kylo asked sardonically.

“Alright first mate. Just don’t tell Chewie.” Han waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

“I’ll think about it.”

“You do that.” Han said gruffly as he rose to his feet. “Anyway, you better prepare yourself, we’re nearly at Takodana. Let’s hope Maz has a contact that can get this droid the rest of the way to the Resistance.”

* * *

When Rey reached the bottom of the Falcon’s ramp, she halted, her hazel eyes alight with wonder. She was taken aback by the by the lush green world that reminded her of the planets she saw in her dreams as a child, having never known that there was so much green in the entire galaxy. She gazed at the stunning vista spreading out in front of her, drinking in as much of the scenery as she could. The landscape was utterly alien to her, but so beautiful. The birdsong was like music to her ears and as she filled her lungs with the fresh air, she couldn’t contain her happiness. This place was like a dream come true.

Kylo, standing a little to her right, watched her everchanging expressions with something akin to reverence. She was glowing, the way the sheer awe of her surroundings made her eyes shine with such brilliance. It was captivating. Her innocent pleasure at the smallest things was so endearing and he longed to probe her mind, to share second hand the feeling of experiencing something new. In his eagerness he accidentally skimmed the edges of her consciousness and his mind was suddenly filled with a thousand heady images of the breathtakingly beautiful landscape in front of him. It had such a vibrancy, such a richness to the tone and colours, that he instantly knew that Rey’s imagination was adding its own touches to the stunning panoramic view in front of them as she committed as much of the scene as she could into her memory.

For a minute a he forgot himself and the Force unexpectedly bridged their minds, binding them. Rey suddenly became aware of other thoughts that weren’t hers spilling into her mind. She drew in a sharp breath and jerked her head around, her confused gaze landing on a visibly shaken Kylo. He immediately realised his mistake and cut off the connection.

“What was….?” Rey faltered.

“We should move.” Kylo quickly cut her off as he avoided looking at her directly. He had inadvertently invaded her privacy and felt ashamed. He marched off before she could ask anymore questions, leaving her staring after him in confusion.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review!_ **


	9. Maz's Castle

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Nine-Maz’s Castle **

“Don’t let him get to you, kid.” Han said as he came to stand beside Rey. “Ben’s not great at expressing himself. A trait he inherited from me I’m afraid.” He let out a weary sigh as he watched his son walk off without bothering to wait for them to catch up to him.

“I just don’t understand him.” Rey admitted in defeat.

“I don’t think he does, either.” Han sighed again as he handed Rey an NN-14 blaster pistol, knowing she would be able to defend herself with it.

Rey gave him an irritated glance. “I think I can handle myself.”

“That’s why I’m giving it to you. Take it.”

Rey caved in and took the blaster from him. She extended her arm, pointing the blaster at an imaginary target.

“Do you know how to use one of those?” Han checked.

“Yeah, you pull the trigger.” Rey murmured as she focused her gaze on the blaster.

“There is little bit more to it than that. You’ve got a lot to learn, kid.” Han said gruffly.

“Rey.”

“What?”

“My name is Rey. I’m not a kid.”

The beginnings of a grin formed at the corners of Han’s mouth as he appraised her carefully. “Exactly how old are you?” He asked curiously.

“Old enough.” Rey huffed as she gave the blaster a closer inspection.

Han shook his head in amusement. “Don’t forget to take the safety off when you use it.” He pointed out as he began to follow in his son’s wake.

Rey didn’t have any memories of her own father, other then that elusive male voice that she attributed to him in her dreams. She hadn’t known Han Solo long, but she was already beginning to feel an affinity with him. He and Ben may be estranged but he clearly cared for his son. Rey could see that Han was doing his hardest to reconnect with Ben and she admired him greatly for that. She tucked the blaster in her belt as she trudged after Han, allowing herself the private luxury of daydreaming that he was actually her real father.

* * *

Kylo was still shaken at what had happened when his mind had temporarily bridged with Rey’s. He had never experienced anything like that before and it unnerved him. For that one brief wonderful moment when their minds were joined together, he was able to experience everything she was thinking and feeling. It was both shocking and extremely intoxicating. It had given him an incredible sense of oneness and an odd sense of peace-like coming home.

“Gods, what is wrong with me!” Kylo mumbled under his breath as he rubbed a hand over his face. Since when did he become so sentimental. Rey was strong with the Force, raw and untrained, but with the right guidance she would…he stopped that train of thought abruptly when he saw Takodana castle looming in the distance.

Kylo knew the history of Maz’s castle well. He’d been there several times before with Han during his childhood. Situated by Nymeve Lake on Takodana, the fortress had a main hall and hosted travellers, smugglers, criminals and beings of all walks of life. It had sensor grids and advanced communications gear. Beneath the main levels, the fortress contained dungeons, storerooms and catacombs which housed tombs of ancient Jedi. The castle courtyard contained a massive statue of Maz Kanata, gifted to her by her former husband.

When Maz took ownership of the castle she established it as a safe haven for any who came there. All were welcome at Maz's castle so long as they followed the rules, which required no violence of any sort. As such, the castle saw visitors from all walks of life who could generally co-mingle without fear of attack. Kanata strictly enforced the rules personally with the aid of the ancient droid "Emmie;" those who violated them were forbidden from further visits. To this end, visitors to the castle were greeted by a sign which read "All are welcome. (No fighting.)" The mantra "NO FIGHTING" was a core rule of Maz Kanata's fortress, with the warning posted in various galactic languages. This meant that even those who were in grave trouble, such as having a bounty on their head, could find refuge at the castle. Such individuals, however, would only be granted one free night of food, water, and shelter, after which they would have to pay a heavy fee if they wished to remain.

Kylo wondered what the old pirate would make of seeing him in his father’s company again. Kanata had spent centuries traveling the galaxy, collecting antiques and trinkets which she kept inside the storehouses and vaults of her castle. The last time he had visited the castle with Han he had been about seven years old. Kylo remembered how fascinated he had been with all the wonderful treasures Maz had accumulated. While his father had been occupied talking to Kanata, he had used the opportunity to sneak away and explore the deep catacombs running beneath the castle. It had been an eye-opening experience and one he had never forgotten. The crafty old pirate had managed to acquire some ancient Jedi artifacts over the years, ones that she was determined to keep secret, even from Master Skywalker himself. Kylo had often wondered why she was so intent on keeping the ancient artifacts locked away from prying eyes. There was one box in particular he had been eager to look inside. He felt whatever was inside calling to him, but as soon as his young hands had tried to prise it open, the wily old pirate had discovered what he was up to and sent him crying back to his father after cuffing him soundly on the back of the head.

“Ben?” Rey’s voice startled him as she came to stand beside him. “What is this place?”

“Welcome to Takodana castle.” Kylo said sarcastically.

Rey looked at him oddly before turning her attention back to the huge fortress towering above the trees. “It looks magnificent.”

“Appearances are deceiving. Every type of rabid cur you can imagine has frequented and found refuge in this place.” Kylo continued in the same sardonic tone.

“You sound disapproving.” Rey remarked curiously.

“How can I be disapproving when I’m one of them.” Kylo said cryptically as he took the lead again, cutting off Rey before she could question him further.

* * *

“Are you okay, kid?” Han asked Rey kindly when he watched her face pale after her brief conversation with his son.

“I’m fine.” Rey replied miserably.

“If you say so, kid.” Han could tell she was lying. His son was going to have to change his attitude before he drove the poor girl away permanently. He wished that he could figure out what was going on in Ben’s head. If he wanted her to stay, which Han sensed that he did, then he needed to smarten up and stop blowing so hot and cold with her.

“I’m fine, honestly.” Rey said again, giving him a watery smile.

“Okay, kid.” Han shrugged. “Just remember what I said about Ben. He finds it hard to connect with people. He always was a loner even as a small boy….”

“Its none of my business.” Rey cut in hastily. “I’m only here to make sure that we get BB-8 to the Resistance, then I’m going home.”

“To Jakku?” Han was disbelieving. Rey responded with the same watery smile and Han gave up. She was clearly in no mood to talk. He could relate to that. “Alright, kid, a word of warning. When we go inside don’t stare.”

“At what?”

“At anything.” Han motioned for her to follow him as he took the lead and headed inside the castle.

* * *

Once inside, their arrival prompted the attention of informants for both the First Order and the Resistance. Han was a well-known figure and as for Kylo…he felt several pairs of eyes trained on him as he weaved his way through the crowd. Maz’s joint was heaving with patrons of all different shapes and sizes. He knew it should bother him that he been spotted in the company of his father, he could imagine Snoke’s reaction when that surprising information reached his former master, but he found he didn’t really care. He had come this far on his surprising journey and he was content to let it just play out.

“Han Solo!” Maz Kanata called out as soon as she spotted Han. Her diminutive figure wound its way through the crowds toward them, only pausing when she noticed Kylo standing a few feet away from his father. The smuggler queen was so taken aback by this odd sight that she pulled the ridiculously thick lensed goggles she had perched on her head and drew them over her tiny eyes, making them appear larger. “It is you.” She murmured, before pushing the thick lensed glasses back to their former position. “And what do I owe the honour?” She asked when she finally reached them.

“I need your help.” Han explained as he took a seat at a free table.

“You always need something.” Maz complained good-naturedly as she pulled up her own chair. Kylo and Rey took the remaining seats. “Who’s the young lady?” She asked in an aside to Han.

“Rey meet Maz. Maz meet Rey.” Han casually introduced them.

“Hi.” Rey said nervously as she met Maz’s cool gaze.

“Interesting.” Maz murmured as her keen eyes drifted to Kylo. Kylo stared back at her impassively, giving nothing away. Maz didn’t bother to elaborate further but instead turned her focus back on Han. “You are right back in the mess.” She said to him.

Han gave her a sour look. “I need you to get this droid back to Leia.”

“Why?”

“It’s carrying some important information that is vital to the Resistance.” Han revealed cautiously.

“The droid or your son?” Maz countered.

Rey’s eyes flashed to Kylo as she waited out his reaction, but he remained as impassive as ever, his face giving away nothing about what he was thinking or feeling. She was so confused by everything. There was so much she didn’t understand, but she was also afraid to ask. She thought about his earlier cryptic comment when he had hinted that he was no better than the scoundrels who made up most of Maz’s clientele. He was a deep well of secrets and she found herself becoming more and more intrigued.

“Ben is one of my crew.” Han said testily as he tried to turn the focus of the conversation away from his brooding son. “It’s the droid Leia needs.”

“Take the droid to her yourself. You cannot keep avoiding her, Han.” Maz’s tone gentled as she regarded him thoughtfully, before her beady eyes turned back to Kylo. “And neither can you.” She added pointedly.

Kylo scowled at Kanata as he pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. “You can finish this conversation without me.” He muttered darkly before storming off.

“Go after him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.” Han ordered Rey gruffly.

“He’s not my responsibility anymore.” Rey answered stubbornly. She had an inkling that Han was using his son as an excuse to get her to leave so he could continue his conversation with Maz in private.

“Please.” Han persisted. “For me.”

“Fine.” Rey conceded ungraciously as she scraped her chair back and followed the path Kylo had taken through the crowd.

Maz templed her fingers together as she stared after Rey’s departing figure. “Who is the girl, really?” She asked Han again.

“I was hoping you could tell me.” He replied with a troubled frown.

* * *

Kylo was lost in the past. Just like he had when he was seven years old, he felt something drawing him to the lower levels of the castle. He was well aware that Rey was following him, he actually slowed his pace to give her time to catch up to him. He wanted her company. When she reached his side, he gave her a small smile of apology. He was regretting his rude behaviour. There was no excuse for taking out his unhappiness on her, especially after everything she had done for him. He wished he could find the right words to tell her he was sorry and how grateful he was that she had so selflessly saved his life. But when she returned his small smile with one of her own, his worries vanished. He could tell she understood without him having to say a word.

They continued into the depths of the castle together. The castle was more ancient than any bone left in the soil. The once smooth rocks were pitted and scarred. Kylo felt a tremor run through him, he could practically hear the whispers of the ages, tales of lives lost and deaths of agony no-one should ever feel, they remain cloistered in the castle dungeons and catacombs and echoed around staircases of twisted rock. The ghosts of the past had so much to say and no ears willing to hear, no soul willing to feel the torment that lies within.

“Maybe we should go back.” Rey whispered anxiously as she drew a little closer to him as if she was experiencing the same uneasy echoes of the past.

“You can turn back if you like.” Kylo offered even as his hand hovered near hers in an attempt to stop her acting on that impulse. Something continued to draw him onward, he had to go and investigate no matter how ambivalent he was feeling. But he didn’t want to be alone. He had been alone his whole life.

“Let’s keep going.” Rey said reluctantly. The cold damp air wrapped around her like a heavy coat of chain mail as she descended the tight spiral staircase to the catacombs below. In the absence of flaming torches, the dimness gave the impression of twilight despite the heat and brilliance of the late afternoon sun outside.

After turning another corner, they reached the bottom of the spiral staircase. Rey gasped as she was suddenly confronted with Maz’s collection of ancient artifacts. She gaped at all the treasures, her curious eyes trying to drink in everything at once. Kylo left her side, his feet drawn toward the very same box that had intrigued him as a child. He could feel the Force humming around him, heightening all of his senses, just like it did before he went into battle. Adrenaline coursed through him and his heart pounded with excitement as he knelt down in front of the box and opened it.

Kylo drew in a sharp breath when he saw the lightsaber nestled snugly inside the non-descript box. His eager fingers reached for it, but before they connected a cold draught swirled around him and everything went dark.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	10. Rey's Vision

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you so much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate it._ **

** Chapter Ten-Rey’s Vision **

Kylo had never known darkness like this, the kind that robs you of your best sense and replaces it with a paralysing fear. In this darkness he stood still, muscles cramped and unable to move. He only knew his eyes were still there because he could feel himself blink. Kylo revolved slowly, trying his best to ascertain where Rey was, he couldn’t see her through the impenetrable dark, but a quiet whimper coming from the left of him, motivated him to move in that direction.

“Rey?” He called out, surprised at how steady his voice sounded. “Can you hear me?” The only response from Rey was another soft whimper.

The darkness continued suffocating Kylo’s body like a damp, musty, thick blanket, clinging to every inch of his pale skin. He still couldn’t make out anything at all.

“Rey.” He said again. “Are you hurt? Call out to me.”

Rey let out a choked sob. Frustration built up in Kylo when she didn’t simply answer him. Whatever this darkness was, it was clearly affecting her, but in a different way. It had robbed him of his sight, but he could still hear, think and feel. He was certain she would have responded if she could. The suffocating fear that the darkness invoked must have disabled her. It had done the same to him at first before he managed to overcome it by utilising the Force.

_The Force?_

_Of course!_

Kylo closed his eyes and gave himself over to the Force. He felt the mysterious energy field surround him, guiding his steps toward Rey. He could sense that she was close, he extended his hand, fingers outstretched as he sought in vain to reach her. He felt his fingers connect with something solid, cylindrical, familiar-the hilt of his lightsaber.

The shock of feeling his fingers automatically curling around the haft made Kylo’s eyes flare open in surprise. To his horror he found it was ignited. The crackling red blade bathed Rey in a crimson glow as she cowered in front of him. She was the only bright spot in the darkness. The fear was strong in her eyes as she looked up at him, he could smell it. His gaze dropped to his traitorous hand, only to find it encased in leather. His hands had been naked before. He hadn’t been wearing gloves. Kylo reeled backwards, one of his boots sliding in the soft snow as he moved. 

_Snow?_

_Where was he?_

He spun around, his breathing harsh and shallow, only to be confronted by the Knights of Ren in full battle gear arrayed behind him. Kylo’s eyes opened wide in terror as he realised, he was dressed the same. His helmet covered the rising panic showing on his face as he stood in front of his knights. Blood soaked the snow at his feet. His heart threatened to beat its way out of his chest as he tried to work out what the hell was going on. He tried to turn off his saber, but his fingers wouldn’t co-operate. It was like he was trapped in some hellish dream-

_That was it!_

_A dream!_

_No?_

_A vision!_

_A Force vision!_

_But not his…Rey’s._

_And for some reason he-Kylo Ren-was playing a starring role._

Kylo’s crazed thoughts tumbled around his frazzled mind. He told himself that fear was simply brain chemicals, the thought calmed him down enough as he attempted to analyse the situation. He recalled the way their minds had temporarily bridged outside the castle, when they had been admiring the view and he had longed to see what she could see. It was happening again, involuntarily this time. The realisation behind what was causing the whole nightmarish scenario allowed Kylo to focus. He needed to separate their minds. Closing his eyes, he concentrated hard, envisioning the separation in his head.

As he began to pull away, he saw a flurry of images pass through his mind-the halls of Cloud City, where Skywalker had once fought Darth Vader before learning Vader was his father. He heard Skywalker screaming in disbelief at the revelation, as well as the words of the late Jedi Master Yoda speaking about the energies of the Force. Kylo then saw Skywalker himself kneeling before a burning temple alongside his astromech droid, R2-D2. He felt sick to his stomach as this particular image flitted in front of him. He was thankful when the scene shifted to Jakku, where he saw Rey as a young girl screaming for her family to return as they departed in a starship-it was heart-breaking

Breathing hard, Kylo opened his eyes again, only to find wetness coating his cheeks as he shared Rey’s remembered pain at her parent’s abandonment. She stood in front of him, her eyes glassy, her mouth stretched tight with pain. Her hand was extended toward him, the pads of her fingers lightly resting against his. They stared at one another for a full minute, before confusion flickered in her eyes and she dropped her hand back to her side.

“Rey.” Kylo said tentatively, his voice was almost unrecognisable it was so hoarse. “Don’t be scared. It’s over now.”

Rey shook her head, retreating away from him. “What was that? What did you do to me?” She cried.

Of course, she would blame him, Kylo thought bitterly. It was an automatic reaction from anyone who came to know him. He lowered his hand and stared at her resentfully. “I didn’t do anything. That was all on you.”

“Liar.” She shot back at him, but there was doubt in her eyes now.

“You’re strong with the Force, Rey.” Kylo revealed. “I sensed it as soon as we met.”

Rey’s stress hormones went into overdrive as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. He might as well have been speaking a foreign language as far as she was concerned. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want any of it. It had been a mistake to leave Jakku.

“I don’t want to any of this.” She faltered. “I just want to go back to Jakku.”

“There’s nothing left for you on Jakku.” Kylo persisted. “You can’t run from this, Rey.”

“You’re one to talk.” Rey retorted tremulously. “You’re running from something. Or you’re hiding something. You lied about being part of the Resistance.”

“No, you presumed.” Kylo pointed out harshly. “I just never corrected you.”

“Who are you?” Rey demanded.

“I told you my name.”

“Ben Solo?”

“Yes. You know Han is my father.” Kylo snapped impatiently. Her questions were ridiculous. “My mother is a General in the Resistance. Show me the lie.”

Rey’s breathing quickened as she tried to make sense of everything. Her horrific vision had shaken her up considerably. She couldn’t shake the image of the man in the mask and his terrifying vision out of her head. “I don’t understand anything.” She whispered pitifully.

Kylo felt a rush of empathy break through his resentment. She sounded so lost, so vulnerable. He knew how that felt. “I can help you.”

“You can?”

“Yes. I can show you the ways of the Force. I can train you, help you harness your power.”

“Are you a…a Jedi?” Rey felt her panic recede a little at his offer of help.

“I was trained by one.” Kylo told her a partial truth.

“If you’re not a Jedi who trained you?” Rey asked curiously.

“My uncle.” Kylo could barely contain the bitterness in his tone as he spat his uncle’s name. “Luke Skywalker.”

As he expected Rey’s hazel eyes shone with awe as soon as he mentioned his uncle’s name. It made his resentment flare up again. “He’s not the hero you think he is.” He growled.

“You are so full of anger.” Rey took another step away from him as the light died in her eyes. “What happened to make you so estranged from your own family?”

“That is none of your business, scavenger.”

“You’re right. It is none of my business.” Rey was wary now as she watched his temper flare. It didn’t take much to set him off. She began to look for an avenue of escape, she was tired of this discourse. Still shaken from the nightmarish vision, she decided she wanted no part of this cosmic destiny. “I thank you for your offer, but I’m afraid I must decline.”

Her rejection of his offer left a bitter taste in the back of Kylo’s throat. His mood darkened considerably as it reopened old wounds that he thought he had long since buried. Without realising what he was doing, he stepped forward intimidatingly, the forefinger of his right hand raised in a gesture of impatience-much like the one Han had often made in the past at his mother during one of their many arguments.

The way Kylo stalked toward her was so reminiscent of the way the masked man from her vision moved that Rey startled. She scurred backwards, her heartrate speeding up as fear took over. She instinctively tapped into the Force, and to her surprise, the lightsaber-which had been nestled snugly inside the box-flipped past Kylo’s head and landed straight into her opened hand as it obeyed her call. Her fingers curled around the hilt and she accidentally ignited it. The blue plasma blade shot out, startling Rey further. She dropped it and it clattered onto the stone floor, landing at Kylo’s feet.

“I didn’t…I don’t know what happened.” She pleaded with him. Kylo’s expression was indecipherable as he stared down at the lightsaber by his feet. “Ben, please, look at me.” She continued to beg. “I know you weren’t going to hurt me. I….”

Maz Kanata materialised out of the shadows. “That lightsaber was Luke’s and his fathers before him. But now it calls to you.” Her beady eyes slid to Kylo, who was still transfixed by the saber at his feet.

“I have to get back to Jakku.” Rey said breathlessly. She was desperate to escape now.

“Han told me.” Maz said softly. “Dear child, I see it in your eyes. You already know the truth. Whoever you are waiting for on Jakku, they are never coming back.” She paused, her gaze flitting briefly to Kylo again. “But there is someone who still could.”

“I can’t do this.” Rey whispered desolately.

“I am no Jedi, but I know the Force. It moves forward and surrounds every living thing. Close your eyes. Feel it. The light it has always been there. It will guide you. The saber. Take it.”

“I’m not touching that thing again. I don’t want any part of this.” Rey cried, and took off before anyone could stop her.

Rey’s sudden disappearance jolted Kylo out of his daze. He looked around, his eyes coming back into focus. “Where’s is she? Where’s Rey?”

Maz looked at him searchingly as she pulled the thick lensed goggles from the top of her head and placed them over her small eyes, magnifying them to epic proportions. Whatever she saw seemed to confuse her as she stared up at Kylo in dismay. “The events are out of order. I don’t understand.” She murmured; her tone perplexed.

Kylo didn’t bother to wait to question the old pirate, instead he picked up the saber and ran off, desperately calling Rey’s name.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	11. Phasma

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate it._ **

** Chapter Eleven-Phasma **

Rey fled the castle, in tears, running into the verdant woodland that stood just outside of it so she could be alone. The woodland seemed ominously quiet. She paused, now that even the sound of her own footfalls was silent, all that could be heard was the susurration of the leaves in the gusty wind. Looking up, she became transfixed by the myriad of fluttering leaves that danced in the high boughs, making a living roof above her. Suddenly she heard some familiar beeps coming from behind her and she whirled around to find that BB-8 had followed her. Part of her was relieved that the little astromech was with her, but the greater part was frustrated that she couldn’t seem to catch a minute alone just to gather her thoughts.

Sighing, Rey hunkered down in front of the jittery droid and readjusted the aerial on top of his head which had worked its way loose when it hurried to catch up to her. She screwed it back into place and smiled sadly. “You need to go back to Han, BB-8. He’s the only one who can help you.”

The concerned droid responded with a series of anxious beeps and whistles as he expressed his wish to stay with her. More tears welled in Rey’s eyes and she leaned down and hugged the faithful little astromech. She had never known a droid like BB-8. He was so loyal.

“I wish I could stay with you…but I have to get home. I’ve been away too long.” She whispered.

BB-8’s head drooped in despair, making Rey feel guilty. She stroked its metal dome head tenderly and tried to make it understand why it was so imperative she return to Jakku. “I’m so sorry.” She said again.

A dark shadow blocked out the light above them. The dappled shade of the woodland which had seemed an inviting refuge when she had first run into it, now seemed anything but. Rey looked up, her eyes scanning the skies above the treetops, trying to work out what was blocking the light filtering through the foliage. What she saw nearly stopped her heart with fear-First Order transports filled the sky, a minute later followed by the familiar whine of Tie Fighters as they streaked behind the huge warships.

_Takadona was under attack._

* * *

Rey fled back to the castle with BB-8 hot on her heels, only to find it was under heavy bombardment from the First Order. Rey’s first thought was for Han and Ben who she presumed were still inside. Chewbacca had remained behind with the Falcon, so she wasn’t too worried about him. He had an avenue of escape. Tension grew in her face and limbs as she lingered on the outskirts of the wood, panicking about what to do. All she had to defend herself was the blaster Han had given to her. She wasn’t experienced with the weapon and for all she knew would probably be a lousy shot. Any sane person would take the chance to flee and hide somewhere until the worst was over, she thought to herself, but there was no way she could leave Han and Ben behind while she hid like a coward.

With the decision made, Rey pulled the blaster out of her belt and held it limply in her hand. Oh, how she missed her quarterstaff, but she had stupidly left it behind on the Falcon. “Pull yourself together, Rey.” She scolded herself. “It’s not as if the staff would be any use against laser fire anyway.”

Rey knew she must seriously be losing it if she had sunk to the new low of talking to herself. She rolled her shoulders to ease the tension in them and jutted out her chin determinedly. “I can do this.” She muttered. It was only when she took a few tentative steps forward that she realised that BB-8 was still with her. She halted abruptly, causing the jittery little astromech to bump into her leg. Sighing, she glanced down at the worried droid and looked at it with sympathy. “BB-8, you can’t come with me. The information you’re carrying is too important. You need to find a good place to hide. I’ll come back for you I promise.”

BB-8 let out a sad whistle, its dome head drooping in defeat. Rey leaned down and stroked the back of its head in affection, before urging it to go back into the woodland. BB-8 finally complied, its head remaining down as it rolled back the way they had come. Rey waited until the droid was safely out of sight before she chose to continue her journey toward the castle. But even in this she was thwarted. To her chagrin she found that her presence had already been discovered. She noticed stormtroopers approaching her position and fired on them, hitting two before running back into the woodland in the opposite direction that BB-8 had taken.

* * *

Han had just ordered something to eat when he saw Rey shoot past him as if she was being chased by a platoon of stormtroopers. By the time he called her name she was long gone and so was the little droid. Han threw his hands up in exasperation when he noticed BB-8 was missing as well. “Just great.” He muttered under his breath as he slowly rose from his chair, intent on finding out what the hell was going on. “And where is Ben?”

He didn’t have to wait long for the answer to that question. Kylo stormed into view, barging his way roughly through the other patrons who were too slow to get out of his way, even using the Force on some of them when they began to protest. Han sighed heavily as he quickly intervened to stop his chaotic son from starting an all-out brawl. Some of the more hardened smugglers were already drawing their weapons.

“What the hell are you doing, son? Calm the fuck down.” Han hissed as he stepped in Kylo’s path, stopping him from cutting a swathe through the rest of Maz’s customers. “You’re attracting too much attention.”

Kylo barely acknowledged it was Han talking to him through the red haze of his anger. He was breathing but the air just wouldn’t go in, like his lungs were surrounded by metal bands. He was desperate to find Rey and he was tiring of all the obstacles in his path.

Han realised his son was in no state to hold a coherent conversation. He decided his best course of action was to get Kylo away from all the prying eyes. It was obvious something had happened between him and the young scavenger. Kylo struggled to express himself eloquently at the best of times, goodness knows what he had said to Rey to make her dash off like that. He should have thought twice before asking the inexperienced girl to keep an eye on his son while he talked to Maz.

“Let’s get out of here. Then we’ll talk.” Han ordered harshly. He saw the fiery burn in Kylo’s eyes at being told what to do, but Han remained unintimidated. Instead he raised his forefinger at his son, warning him to hold his tongue, before turning abruptly and marching outside.

* * *

“What did you say to her?” Han demanded as soon as they reached the entrance.

Kylo glared at Han. As usual his father was jumping to the usual conclusions. Of course, he would think it was something he had done that made Rey run away. He felt as if his lungs were slowly filling with water, as if there was just less space in them for the air. Inflating them felt like pushing up a lead weight on his chest as a lifetime of resentment threatened to overwhelm him.

“I haven’t got time for this, old man.” He seethed. “I need to find Rey.”

Han frowned, his hands finding their way to his hips. Not for the first time he wished he was privy to what was going on in his son’s head. When Ben was a young child, he had done his best to connect with the boy, trying to find common ground with him, but not being Force sensitive himself, he had always felt lacking. Han was a wanderer, an adventurer, a scoundrel to the bone. He was made to star in bedtime stories, not to read them to his kid. To break the rules, not to enforce them. To roam alone, not settle down with a family and home. Suddenly finding himself with a young kid to raise, especially one as sensitive as Ben, he had felt overwhelmed and had fallen into old habits to cope. Han felt as out of depth now as he had then and he struggled to find the right words to express his thoughts.

“If you have nothing to say to me, then get out of my way.” Kylo snapped impatiently.

“Just hold on a minute.” Han said roughly as he blocked his son’s path again. He took a deep breath as he dug his heels in. “There’s a lot you don’t know about women.”

“Are you seriously giving me a lecture right now?”

“You need it.” Han argued hotly.

“What do you know about women?” Kylo scoffed.

Han just about refrained from rolling his eyes. “Clearly a lot more than you do.”

Kylo couldn’t believe he was having this bizarre conversation with his father right now. It was almost laughable how Han was trying to give the benefit of his wisdom after ignoring him for most of his life. “I don’t have time for this. I need to find Rey.”

“I think you should give her some space. I saw the poor kid rush past me in floods of tears.” Han revealed.

“She was crying?” Kylo felt the steel bands around his lungs tighten a little more at the knowledge of how truly distraught she really was. It made it all the more imperative he find her and explain.

“Yes, Ben, she was sobbing her heart out.” Han exaggerated a little in an attempt to keep his son’s attention. “I don’t know what happened between you, but whatever it was really upset her.”

Kylo sucked in the air as if it was treacle. He suddenly couldn’t breathe. Why was it so hard? There was a tightness in his throat as a feeling of dread settled in his stomach like a lead weight. He was forced to tune Han out as he concentrated hard on just breathing.

Something was wrong…something…. instinct made him look up and that was when he saw the first of the First Order transports and Tie Fighters soaring across the sky.

“Get back to the Falcon.” He yelled at his father. “I need to find Rey.” He began to run toward the woods.

“Shit.” Han swore as he took off after his son. “Wait, I’m coming with you.”

* * *

With only her blaster to protect her Rey did her best to evade the stormtroopers, using the trees for cover. In the end there were too many and she was soon overwhelmed. Backed into a corner, she fired haphazardly, some of her shots hitting their target, but as soon as one trooper was down, another took their place.

“Lower your weapon, child. You are clearly outnumbered. Don’t be a fool.” A tall trooper, dressed in shining armour coated in chromium and wearing a cape in black and red, a symbol of the First Order, strode toward Rey with their own weapon raised and ready to fire. “Do you know who I am?”

Rey shook her head as she slowly lowered her blaster. She knew the game was up.

“I’m Captain Phasma.” A surprisingly feminine voice announced proudly as if she expected the name alone to strike fear into Rey. When Rey showed no reaction, her whole demeanour changed. Her voice became harsher as she roughly snatched the blaster out of Rey’s hand and threw it to one of the other troopers under her command. “I’ve heard some interesting reports about you.” Phasma continued as she grabbed Rey’s arm and jerked it up roughly behind her back. “Our spies in the castle informed us you’ve been seen in the company of Kylo Ren. What is your connection to him? Why would he be hanging out with a pathetic scavenger like you? What are you hiding?”

Rey blinked uneasily, her eyes streaming with water as Phasma increased the pressure on her arm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She gasped.

“So, you want to do this the hard way I see. General Hux is very interested in talking to you.” Phasma sneered as she used the butt of her blaster to strike Rey on the side of the head, knocking her unconscious. “Take her back to the transport and inform General Hux that we have captured the girl and that we will continue the search for Ren.”

“Yes, Captain.” The lead trooper saluted the Captain before motioning the others to help him lift Rey’s limp body off the ground.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	12. Not So Alone

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twelve-Not So Alone **

Han was soon lagging behind his son. As he tried to increase his pace, the extra exertion brought on more breathlessness. Feeling dizzy, he stopped for a minute, leaning against the bole of a tree for support. “Damn, I’m getting too old for this.” Taking in another gulp of air he squinted, trying to get his eyes to focus.

When his vision cleared enough for him to see, he swore under his breath. In the distance he saw a First Order command shuttle. When he looked closer, he saw a bevy of stormtroopers carrying Rey’s unconscious form up the opened ramp. “Shit!” He muttered another oath as he left his post and began to jog through the remaining trees in a vain attempt to catch up with his son. “Ben.” He gasped. “Don’t do anything stupid!”

Kylo was beyond listening. He had already spotted Rey for himself. Rage built up inside him like deep water currents. He unleashed his anger, without thought or consequence. He reached for his crossguarded saber, igniting the fiery red blade as he strode toward the hapless troopers. They had no idea of the hurricane coming their way. Kylo’s dark eyes burned with such fury that he looked almost inhuman. His anger burned like fire lacing his veins and creeping up his spine. All he could feel was desire; desire to hate. To harm those who had dared to hurt Rey. He felled the first trooper before the guy even had a chance to draw his weapon. A second followed, then a third. Chaos ensued as the other troopers charged the rest of the way up the ramp with their precious cargo, shocked to the core at the sight of Kylo Ren viciously cutting them down.

“Ben!” Han yelled as he finally reached the command shuttle. The lead trooper had activated the ramps controls in a desperate attempt to close it before Kylo reached the bottom. Han watched in horror as his son took a running jump at the ramp, using the Force to aid his trajectory as he tried to get inside the shuttle before it closed completely. The pilot was already trying to take off even with the ramp still partially open.

Han’s breath came in short, shallow bursts as he watched his son fly through the air like a bird without wings. He knew that Kylo wasn’t going to make it, the shuttle had already risen too far off the ground. With a sickening thud Kylo collided with the ramp as it sealed shut. He let out an almighty groan as his body somersaulted in mid-air before plummeting to the ground.

* * *

Kylo woke up coughing and spluttering as water was thrown on his face. He sat up abruptly, his every thought in high definition. Though his eyes were open he couldn’t think of why; his heart was pounding, mind empty. It was as if a hypodermic of adrenaline had been emptied into his carotid.

“Ben?” Han’s concerned face swam into view as he peered into his son’s eyes. When Kylo failed to acknowledge him, he told Chewie to throw more water on his son. The tall Wookie happily obliged. Kylo suffered another drenching as the pair fought to bring him back to consciousness. “How are you now?” Han checked again when Kylo began to cough. He smiled in satisfaction when Kylo answered his enquiry with a vicious glare. “He’s all good.” He said in an aside to Chewie as he held out his hand to help his son back onto his feet.

Kylo wiped the water off his face with the back of his hand as he tried to focus. His head was pounding and every muscle in his body ached. He tried to walk but his limbs wouldn’t obey him. Everything hurt now. Every damn thing. “Fuck!” He cussed under his breath.

Han rolled his eyes as he came to his son’s aid. “That’s what you get for acting like a reckless idiot.” He chided Kylo as he acted as his crutch. “I’m surprised you didn’t break every bone in your body.”

Chewie let out a whine of agreement as he came up on Kylo’s other side and helped carry some of his weight so Han wasn’t too overburdened. Between them they began to steer Kylo toward the safety of the trees. Above their heads the Tie Fighters continued to bombard the castle, destroying centuries of ancient history in one fell swoop.

“I hope Maz got away.” Han murmured.

Kylo was feeling groggy. He tried to steady himself, trying to comprehend what was going on around him and where he was. Something was nagging at the back of his frazzled mind as he tried to sort through his muddled thoughts. His body felt like it had been bruised in every corner. His legs were shaky and could not support his body yet his head was the only thing that felt heavy. He rested his fingers on his aching temples as he tried to remember what he had been doing before he knocked himself out. Then it all came back in a rush.

“Rey.” Kylo choked on her name. His eyes squeezed closed and his face contorted. Never had he ever experienced such pain in his life. He could feel his head spinning, ultimately, he fell onto the ground, his jaw clenched. He grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling on it helped to ease the pain. Slowly the pain faded away and his hand released his black locks as he regained control over himself. Sweat trickled down his face, his breathing slowly turning back to a normal rhythm. Forcing himself to rise, he stood, his eyes finding Han’s. “I’m going after her.”

Han sighed in exasperation. “And how do you propose to do that? You can hardly stand.”

Kylo shook off his fatigue as he called upon the Force to aid him. He called for his weapon and his saber flew into his opened palm. “You can’t stop me.” He responded through gritted teeth as he staggered off in the direction of the castle.

“I don’t know where he gets his stubbornness from.” Han complained to Chewie as he followed in his son’s wake. Chewie made a sarcastic comment in Shyriiwook which caused Han to glare at him. “I dare you to name one time I’ve been stubborn or impulsive.” He demanded as he narrowed his eyes at the tall Wookie.

Chewie began to list at least a dozen occasions when Han had acted the exact same way. Han flashed his hairy friend a disgruntled glance as he hurried to catch up with his son. Despite the injuries from his fall, Kylo was still setting a fast pace.

“Would you please stop and think for a minute.” Han puffed as he reached out and grabbed Kylo’s arm to try and slow him down. “Do you even have a plan?”

The ache in his heart was a dull pain, as if some lazy torturer was standing right behind him, only applying enough pressure to be an annoyance. Kylo’s breathing was shallow as he turned his stricken gaze onto his father. “I’m going back.”

Han’s face paled as she shook his head. “To the First Order? Ben, you can’t. You need to think this through…”

“There isn’t time.” Kylo was in so much pain his complexion was ashen. He stared at his father in despair. He closed his eyes briefly and sucked himself into a deeper place to cope with the morbid thoughts that threatened to ruin him. He opened his eyes again to find Han looking at him with empathy. “I have to go back. It’s the only way I can save her. You have no idea of what they’ll do to her…. if Snoke….” Kylo couldn’t continue. He knew from personal experience the depths of Snoke’s depravity. If his former master learned just how strong Rey was with the Force…. his reaction didn’t bear thinking about.

“Why do you think you have to do this alone, Ben?” Han implored. He hated to see his son hurting this way. “Let us help you.”

“You can’t help me. You would just get in the way.” Kylo said harshly.

Han ignored the brusqueness of Kylo’s tone. He wasn’t a fool; he had seen the way his son had looked at Rey. He had looked the same way at a certain young princess once upon a time. “We’re coming with you, Ben, whether you like it or not.” He said, motioning at Chewie, who roared his agreement. “We’ll get her back. We just need some help.”

“From who?” Kylo asked sarcastically.

Han tipped his head back and pointed up at the sky. Kylo frowned, his eyes tightening as the first of the Resistance X-wing fighters streaked across the sky.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	13. A Very Tense Reunion

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirteen-A Very Tense Reunion **

Kylo hadn’t seen his mother in the flesh for nearly a decade and he certainly wasn’t ready to meet her now. He stood tensely beside Han as the ramp to the Resistance transport slowly lowered revealing Leia Organa Solo in all her glory. Once a senator, a princess and leader of the Rebel Alliance, now a general in the Resistance-his mother had never lost her regal bearing. She had aged, just like Han, but her warm brown eyes remained just the same, and when she turned those same eyes directly on him, Kylo suddenly couldn’t breathe.

To Kylo’s surprise Han seemed to sense his distress. “Take it easy, son. Let your old man do the talking.” He said in a low voice.

“Dad…” Kylo choked on the rest of his words as he looked at his father.

Han gave him a familiar half smile. “I know.”

Kylo became lost in childhood memories as he watched his parents reuniting for the first time in years. His mother remained watchful, her striking eyes still lingering on him even as she greeted her errant husband.

“Same old jacket.” She deadpanned.

Han was still wearing the same half smile, but now it turned wistful. “No. New Jacket.” He answered gruffly.

There was a low rumble from Chewie as he stepped past Han and went to hug Leia. The former princess and the Wookie exchanged a sentimental embrace. Kylo thought how tiny she looked, so fragile against Chewbacca’s imposing stature. It made him realize his mother wasn’t as invulnerable as she liked to make out. The way she held onto Chewie, her eyes closing briefly as she sank into the warmth of his affection made Kylo’s heart hurt. She had never held him like that, not even on the day she sent him away to train under Luke. He had to turn his head away before his reaction showed on his face. There was no way he was going to show weakness in front of her.

When Chewie finally released Leia, he spoke to her in Shyriiwook, explaining to her how they had found Ben and now needed her help. Leia nodded at him, patting his arm fondly before turning back to Han. “You found our son.” She said hoarsely as her eyes filled with a glassy layer of tears.

“Yes.” Han answered carefully.

“Ben?” Leia’s gaze slid past her husband and landed on her only child. She had only managed to take a few steps in Kylo’s direction when she felt Han’s hand on her shoulder, stopping her. She hesitated, glancing at Han in confusion when he shook his head at her. “Why not?”

“He’s not ready yet.” Han hated seeing the light dimming in her eyes, but he had a duty of care to his son. The differences that had driven them all apart were still there, simmering just below the surface. Their reconciliation was still tenuous at best-one wrong word, one wrong move-could snap that fragile string that was holding them together. Han did not want to risk losing his son again.

“That’s not fair, Han.” Leia accused.

“There’s a lot you don’t know.” Han took his hand away from her shoulder and let it drop back to his side.

“Such as?” Leia demanded forcefully.

A profound sadness washed over Han; fatigue engraved on his face. “We failed our son, Leia. We let him down. I am not going to do that again. He needs our help right now not an interrogation.”

“I would never…” Leia was appalled at what he was insinuating.

“Yes, you would.” Han’s tone turned bitter. “For the Resistance you would.”

Leia hated that he was right. She was a cause driven person. A crusader, a warrior, and a leader, focused like a cutting torch, passionate, and intelligent. She loved her son fiercely but how could one little boy’s scrapes and bruises compete with the need to find a solution to the rising instability in the galaxy? How could a kid that wants for nothing that money can buy ever hope to find himself the sole focus of her attention while she was in the process of building a new government, saving the galaxy from one problem after another, and trying to keep it all from crashing and burning due to political differences among the many Senators? She had tried to be there as much as possible for Ben, but she had so many constraints on her time, and he had been such a difficult child, even more so when he reached his teenage years. He was strong with the Force from a young age and she hadn’t felt able to deal with his sometimes-frightening outbursts. Sending him to Luke seemed the ideal solution. She had truly believed that her twin would be able to teach him harmony and a way to harness his powers for the greater good.

All of these thoughts ran through Leia’s mind as she looked at Han’s troubled face. She could see that he was regretting hurting her, but he didn’t take back his inference that she was once again already putting her latest cause above her son. “We’ll talk more when we get to the base.” She said stiffly.

As she turned away, Han grabbed her arm to stop her. Leia scowled as he pulled her closer, their faces mere inches apart. “The time for talking is past, sweetheart. Now you need to listen.”

BB-8 chose that moment to abandon his hiding place and make his grand entrance. With a frantic series of beeps and low whistles, the jittery little astromech rolled straight toward Kylo, shielding behind his leg as he frantically asked about Rey.

* * *

D'Qar was a verdant planet located in the Ileenium system of the Outer Rim Territories, the planet was the location of the headquarters of the Resistance. By the time the transport shuttle had reached the lush planet Kylo had still not spoken one word to his mother. Instead, he remained aloof, sitting alone at the back of the transport with BB-8 his only company, while his parents remained huddled together at the front, talking in low voices to each other. Chewie was following behind on the Falcon. Kylo didn’t bother listening in. He knew he was the prime topic of conversation and also the same cause of tension he had always been between his parents. He didn’t care what they were saying about him. His sole focus was getting to Rey.

Kylo closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate his thoughts using the old Jedi meditation techniques that Skywalker had taught him. Since his mind had bridged with Rey’s on two occasions now, he had felt a growing awareness that somehow this was no accident. He was both puzzled and intrigued by the strange connection. He remembered the first time he had accidentally skimmed the edges of her consciousness, and the heady feeling he had gotten when the Force briefly bound their minds together as he experienced through her eyes the lush green landscape of Takodana. The second time hadn’t been quite so glorious, her terrifying vision in the dungeons of Maz’s castle still unnerved him.

Despite his reservations Kylo decided to test the waters again to see if he could reach out to Rey in the same way. He was desperate to know how she was faring; he was already regretting wasting precious time coming back to the Resistance base. He should never have let his father persuade him otherwise. Kylo steadied his breathing as he reached out to Rey with his mind. A big part of him didn’t really think anything was going to happen-the last two times they had been right next to each other when their minds connected-this time he was trying to reach across a far greater distance. What he didn’t expect when he reached out was such an instant reaction.

Adrenaline suddenly flooded his system; it pumped and beat as if it was trying to escape. His heart was on the verge of exploding and his eyes shot open wide with fear. Wherever she was, Rey had regained consciousness, and all her thoughts and feelings were being communicated directly to him. Including her fear. And Rey was desperately afraid. Kylo’s body felt the urge to run, just like Rey, but instead he remained where he was, locked in her mind. Kylo’s adrenaline continued to surge so fast he almost vomited, he could taste saliva thickening in his throat and beads of sweat trickling down his brow. Rey was formulating a plan in her head, getting ready to move, and make a last-ditch effort to fight. She was risking everything on it, uncaring what happened in the attempt, just knowing that she had to try and escape, and battle for her freedom even if she died doing it.

It was the worst thing she could do.

_“NO!”_ Kylo yelled in his head. _“DON’T! THEY’LL KILL YOU! I’M COMING TO GET YOU.”_

He felt her shock and awe at hearing his voice in her mind seep through the bond. This was new. Elation coursed through Kylo when he realized the connection was strong enough for them to communicate telepathically with one another. He tried to talk to her again, but their connection was abruptly severed when the transport landed.

“Dammit!” Kylo swore viciously as he sought to regain that vital connection again. He could feel her there, like some invisible shadow hovering just out of reach on the edges of his mind, but for whatever reason he couldn’t bridge that gap. He wasn’t willing to wait anymore and he immediately sprang into action. As soon as the ramp was down, he charged past his stunned parents, his whole focus on finding a ship.

“Oh, hell! Here we go again.” Han muttered as he left an irritated Leia calling after him as he set off in hot pursuit of his son. He was nearly bowled over by BB-8, who also seemed intent on the doing the same thing. Han glared impatiently at the little droid as it overtook him.

Kylo headed for the first starfighter that he saw. It was a T-70 X-wing starfighter. Like all starfighters of the same model it was armed with four Taim and Bak KX12 laser cannons. He didn’t heed the many stares and cries of surprise from the Resistance fighters that followed in his wake as he neared his target. It was only when he was a few meters away that he realized that the pilot was still in the process of climbing out of the cockpit.

“Fuck.” He swore again under his breath as he slowed his pace a little when he saw the same pilot jump the last few feet to the ground and greet a darker skinned individual like they were old buddies.

Kylo narrowed his eyes as he recognized the pilot’s companion as the same guy who Rey had attacked on Jakku when BB-8 told them he had stolen his master’s jacket; which Rey had decided to keep for herself. Kylo had no time to ponder the latest conundrum, nor did he care. His sole focus was getting the X-wing. It was only when the pilot finally turned around and Kylo got a good look at his face that he realized who he was. It was Poe Dameron-the very same pilot who he had been pursuing over Jakku-when they had both fired on one another simualtaneously and shot each other out of the sky. Kylo didn’t know whether to punch the guy or shake his hand for essentially leading him to Rey.

“Ben, wait!” Han puffed as he tried to close the gap between them.

Kylo huffed out a frustrated breath as his father’s cries alerted Poe and his companion to his presence. He watched as Dameron’s friend’s eyes widened in recognition. “It’s Kylo Ren!” He yelled.

Poe was already drawing his blaster. Kylo scowled as he reached for his lightsaber. He was about to ignite it when BB-8 shot past him right toward Poe. The little astromech let out a series of high whistles and beeps as it greeted Poe excitedly. Dameron was delighted to see his droid back safe and sound, but hid his exhilaration behind a cool mask as he trained his blaster in Kylo’s direction. Confused, BB-8’s dome head whirled back and forth between Poe and Kylo. He tried to get his master’s attention to tell him that Kylo was a friend of the Resistance. Poe looked at BB-8 like he had lost his mind.

“Did you short circuit or something?” He accused as he motioned for him to pipe down. “That’s Kylo Ren.”

BB-8 burst out into another set of frantic chirps. “Ben Solo.” He insisted to Poe in his binary language.

“It is Kylo Ren.” Poe retorted irritably. “Tell him, Finn.” He said to his companion.

“Definitely Kylo Ren.” Finn agreed as he kept a wary eye on the little droid. It was BB-8 who had made the wrong assumption about him before, causing the girl that had been running around with the traitorous little astromech to knock him out in Niima Outpost. Luckily, he had been found a few hours later by Poe, who had unexpectedly wandered into the desert town looking to steal a ship after his own had been shot out of the sky by none other then the same Kylo Ren who was marching threateningly toward them right now.

Finn was trained since birth to serve the First Order as a stormtrooper, but a skirmish on Jakku awakened his conscience and drove him down a different path. He had defected from the First Order after Captain Phasma had ordered him and the other troopers to fire on some innocent villagers on Jakku. He had sneaked off, abandoning his weapon and his uniform as he headed to Niima Outpost in search of someone who could help him flee from the desert planet. Subsequently he had crossed paths with both Kylo and Rey and finally Poe. He couldn’t believe that the same little droid that had caused him so much trouble on Jakku belonged to his new friend Dameron.

BB-8 was still insisting that Kylo was in fact Ben Solo and a friend of the Resistance. His interference distracted Poe and Kylo long enough for Han to catch up to his son.

“Will you stop running off?” Han complained breathlessly. “You weren’t seriously going to steal that Starfighter?”

Kylo reluctantly uncurled his fingers from around his saber. Han’s sudden appearance had confused Poe and he slowly lowered his blaster. In the meantime, BB-8 took the opportunity to roll toward Kylo proudly, happily beeping his true name-Ben Solo.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	14. A New Friend

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fourteen-A New Friend **

Rey had regained consciousness to find herself surrounded by armed stormtroopers. Fear immediately flooded her system, cutting off her ability to think. Her wrists and ankles were bound together so she couldn’t move. She remained rigidly lying on her back, forced to listen as the troopers laughed and joked around her. Some of them had taken the opportunity to remove their helmets without Phasma’s intimidating presence to stop them. Rey was surprised to find that they were mostly human. This knowledge took the edge off her nerves now that she could see they weren’t just faceless monsters.

One of the troopers closest to her noticed she was awake. He motioned to his companions and soon she was surrounded by a sea of curious faces. She wondered why they seemed so interested in her. She was nothing but a scavenger.

“I don’t get why Ren is so obsessed with her.” The lead trooper, a young man with vivid blue eyes, mused aloud. “Look at the way she’s dressed. She’s just a scavenger.”

His companion hunkered down beside Rey; his tousled brown hair fell into his eyes as he studied her curiously. “She has to be more than that. She’s prettier close up. This jacket is expensive.” He said, fingering Poe’s jacket that Rey had taken from Finn on Jakku. “He physically attacked us to get to her. I wish I could be in the same room when Hux interrogates her.”

“No chance.” The lead trooper spat sarcastically. “Hux is still festering over the fact that FN-2187 defected. I heard him roasting Phasma about it.”

“She’ll roast you if she hears you were eavesdropping.” His companion sneered.

The two troopers began to bicker. Rey took the opportunity to observe her surroundings. She appeared to be on some kind of shuttle, probably a First Order transport. The same paralyzing fear began to spread through her body again like icy, liquid metal as she wondered where they were taking her. She hated being shackled like some wild animal. Rey wished she knew who this Ren guy was they were talking about. Why would a stranger be obsessed with her? Were these stormtroopers delusional? Or had they mistaken her for someone else? It was entirely possible. But they were talking as if this Ren person had launched an attack on them in order to get to her. It was all so confusing. She didn’t have time to ponder further as the two stormtroopers stopped arguing.

“We’re here. Helmets back on, guys.” The lead trooper commanded. There was a mad scramble as they regrouped in regimented rows and faced the front of the ship.

Rey felt the shuttle shudder as it landed in the docking bay. Two of the trooper’s broke ranks and hauled her onto her feet. One bent down and released the shackles binding her ankles together so she could walk. Rey clenched her fists as she hesitantly took a step forward as the two troopers pulled her along roughly. She noticed her feet tremble. Her legs twitched, fighting the impulse to whirl around and sprint for freedom. If there was any opportunity of escape, it had to be now. It could be her only chance. She crunched her teeth over her lip harder than she ever had. Salty blood filled her mouth. Slowly, her brain picked up her feet in an unbalanced gait, carelessly dropping the lead weights to the ground with each harrowing step. Reality tried to tap its way into her marching brain's rhythm as she tried to formulate a plan-each frantic scenario she replayed in her head always ended in her death-but she decided she would rather die fighting then just giving up altogether and letting the First Order demons do it for her. So, she got ready to fight…

_Then…_

“ _NO!_ ” Ben’s voice suddenly burst into head, causing her to stumble. “ _DON’T! THEY’LL KILL YOU! I’M COMING TO GET YOU.”_

“Move, girl.” One of the troopers said gruffly as he yanked her forward.

Rey barely heard him. She was still full of shock and awe at hearing Ben’s voice in her head. If it wasn’t for the fact that she could feel his elation flooding her system, she would have thought she was hallucinting. She didn’t understand what was happening, but was exhilarated at the sound of his voice, especially his vow that he was coming to get her. She had always been very much alone, having to rely on her own wits to survive, the prospect that someone cared enough to come to her rescue was so overwhelming that it drew her close to tears.

Rey tried to reach out to answer him, but something abruptly severed their connection. The loss of that connection was so profound that Rey felt distraught at its absence. She felt like an abandoned child again, lonely, starved of warmth. Her face was drowning in sorrow yet a spark of strength within let her stay strong that moment longer, until she became aware of Ben again, he was somehow there, like some invisible shadow hovering just out of reach on the edges of her mind. Finding solace in that one small thing, she gave up the fight and allowed the troopers to lead her further into the depths of the First Order compound.

* * *

A young, ruthless officer in the First Order, General Hux had complete confidence in his troops, training methods and weapons. A rival of Kylo, Hux eagerly awaited the day when the First Order would bring down the hated New Republic, and considered it his destiny to rule the galaxy someday, though he kept that thought close to his chest. With the support of Supreme Leader Snoke, Hux took command of Starkiller Base and promoted the development of new technology that allowed the First Order fleet to track targets through hyperspace.

Snoke had deemed Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, to be a threat to the First Order. Though the First Order possessed maps from the Empire that would lead them to the planet where Skywalker was hiding, they lacked a final piece. To that end, the Finalizer travelled to Jakku and dispatched a group of stormtroopers to attack the settlement of Tuanul. It was also the same spot where Hux’s hated rival, Kylo Ren, had mysteriously disappeared after blindly taking off in hot pursuit of a Resistance pilot who they had learned had acquired and hid the final piece of the map.

Ren had remained frustratingly out of reach ever since, which had infuriated the Supreme leader, causing Snoke to take his frustrations out on Hux as he demanded that all available resources be put in place to track down his young darkside apprentice. Hux had faithfully promised the Supreme Leader that he would do just that, when he actually did the opposite. He delegated the task to Captain Phasma, only giving her a limited number of troopers to help her. When she had complained, he had reminded her sharply about the recent debacle regarding FN-2187’s defection. Phasma had resentfully carried out his orders, but had little luck in tracing Ren, until he had unexpectedly popped up in the company of his estranged father, his Wookie friend and a young scavenger girl on Takodana of all places.

Even though Phasma had little luck finding Ren himself, she had managed to capture his female companion. Hux was far from delighted when he was informed of this piece of news. He had hoped that Ren would stay missing, secretly gloating over the possibility that his hated rival might actually be dead. Now he had been pulled away from his regular duties to deal with the girl. In his mind it was just a waste of time. She was nobody important. Any information he managed to garner from her would be useless. He had scheduled a meeting with Supreme Leader Snoke in a few hours and he wanted to finish prepping his speech. Having to interrogate the scavenger scum was an unnecessary irritant as far as he was concerned.

Due to his youth, Hux's experiences in warfare were entirely theoretical. Though acknowledged for the thoroughness and complexity of his simulations, Hux earned little respect for his abilities as a warrior. Hux was obsessed with his appearance; believing it was a vital part for maintaining discipline, he would always wear a parade uniform designed to broadcast his authority as general. Even his posture was affected by this belief, as Hux would often pose in a formal parade stance. In addition to his uniform and bearing, Hux's hair was coiffed to his exacting standards. He smoothed a stray hair back now as he was presented with the defiant scavenger scum who was the root cause of his irritation.

“Is this her?” Hux’s tone was disbelieving as his eyes roved over Rey’s slim frame derisively. He was perplexed by Ren’s interest in her. Apart from her striking hazel eyes, there was nothing remarkable about her-she could be considered pretty after a fashion, he supposed, on closer inspection. “Strap her to the chair.” He ordered the lead trooper.

“Yes, sir.” The trooper responded promptly as he manhandled Rey into the chair and tightened the restraints. “All done, sir.” He informed the general when he was satisfied that Rey was suitably cowed.

Hux looked at the trooper haughtily. “Now leave us.” He commanded.

“Of course, General Hux.” The trooper marched smartly out of the room, not looking back as the doors slid closed behind him.

Hux maintained his air of quiet authority as he slowly walked around Rey, observing her every reaction with a practised eye. She was certainly a bold one. She didn’t crumble under his intimidating gaze even though she was the one strapped to the interrogation chair. In fact, she remained remarkably defiant.

“Do you have any questions?” He was the first to break the tense silence.

Hux watched as a flicker of confusion crossed the young scavengers face at his simple question. “Where am I?” She asked hesitantly.

“Starkiller base.” A sliver of pride filtered through Hux’s cultured tones when he spoke.

Rey had no idea where that was, but the name alone was enough to strike fear through her heart. “Where are the others?”

“You mean the murderers, traitors and thieves you call friends. You’ll be relieved to know I have no idea.” Hux informed her coldly.

Relief flooded through Rey as she realised no one else had been captured. She watched as Hux circled her, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Tell me about Ren.” He demanded, his tone turning icy.

Ren again?

A small frown marred Rey’s forehead as she looked up at Hux’s pasty face. He really was the palest individual she had ever seen in her life. The only vibrant thing about him was his perfectly coiffed red hair. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play games with me, scavenger.” Hux scowled as he leaned in, his face hovering close to hers as he stared into her eyes. “You know I can take whatever I want. The First Order has some very invasive interrogation techniques. I would hate to have to use any of them on you. Now tell me about Ren.”

“I’m not telling you anything.” Rey retorted through gritted teeth.

“We’ll see.” Hux sneered as he backed away a little. “He’s really not worth protecting you know. You’re nothing to him. You must see that. Nothing but worthless scavenger scum.”

Rey felt an explosion of rage shoot through her at his hurtful taunts. He was despicable. The anger from her eyes showed the scared child within, the girl who was taught to fight and starved of the love she craved. Her bitter anger tapped into the Force and she unwittingly probed Hux’s mind and got a glimpse of his deep ambition and his darkest fears.

“You…” She gasped, straining against her restraints. “You’re afraid…. that everyone will see you for the craven coward you really are….and that you’ll never be able to realise your real ambition of becoming Supreme Leader.”

Hux whirled around, his face working with suppressed anger. “Silence!” He spat. He was practically frothing at the mouth. “Guards!” He was unnerved by the truth of her words and suddenly wanted to be as far away from her as possible. The scavenger was wearing the same contemptuous expression that Ren always wore when they were faced with one another. “Guards!” He called again when they didn’t immediately appear.

The doors finally slid open and two troopers marched inside the room. Hux ordered them to take Rey to one of the holding cells to give him time to figure out what to do next. Rey suddenly found herself being hauled out of the chair and dragged away with Hux’s rigid stare boring into her back.

* * *

Rey was thrown into the cell. The door slid closed behind her, trapping her inside. The fluorescent lights flickered as the grey walls began closing in on her. A tremor ran through her body as she allowed the silent panic to grip her now that she was alone.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Rey spun around in surprise at the gentle voice. It seemed she wasn’t alone after all. A petite young woman sat on the bench seat; her warm brown eyes regarded Rey kindly. “I’m Rose.” She said, introducing herself. “Rose Tico.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	15. Han's Promise

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifteen-Han’s Promise **

It had taken a lot of persuasion on Han’s part to get Kylo to follow him back to the Resistance base. “You need to trust me, Ben. Let me help you. Let _us_ help you.” He emphasized the ‘us’ meaning Leia.

Kylo knew his father well enough now to tell when he was being sincere. Han was trying so hard to forge a connection, as for his mother, he didn’t know what to believe. She was always going to prioritize the Resistance above the need to save one human girl. She had done the same thing with him countless times throughout his childhood for one cause or another. He remembered the deep aching loneliness he felt when he saw his family prioritizing other things over him, and when he had found out-at the same time as the rest of the galaxy-about his familial connection to Darth Vader, it had only served to exacerbate those feelings… feelings that a certain dark voice could manipulate.

Kylo shook his head to try and clear his morbid thoughts as he followed his father into the hangar. In the distance he could see his mother talking in a low voice with Dameron and the defected stormtrooper-Finn. They had gone on ahead to consult with their general, clearly not happy with his presence on the base now his true identity had been revealed. Dameron was making wild hand gestures at Leia, while the little astromech, BB-8, kept swiveling his dome head back and forth between the three of them in confusion.

Impatience overcame Kylo as he strode swiftly past Han and approached his mother. He was tired of waiting for Leia to be done talking. He was becoming increasingly frustrated with each passing minute. He needed to leave now to rescue Rey, and was exasperated at all the unnecessary delays. He barely heard his father mutter an oath under his breath as he forced his way past Dameron and Finn and demanded his mother’s attention.

“Just give me a damn ship and I’ll be on my way.” He ordered.

“Hey!” Poe yelled as he stepped forward to intervene. He matched Kylo’s infuriated glare, refusing to back down.

“Easy, Dameron.” Leia said sternly as she motioned for him to stand aside.

“Are you really going to let him speak to you like that?” Poe exclaimed in disbelief.

Leia gave him a reprimanding look as she exerted her authority. “Go and take a break, Commander.”

Poe looked on the verge of disobeying her command until Finn stepped in and persuaded him otherwise. “Fine.” He said through gritted teeth as he turned and walked away. He glanced over his shoulder to check BB-8 was following him, but the little droid’s whole focus seemed to be on Kylo. “Come on, BB-8.” He yelled.

BB-8 turned his dome head frantically between Kylo and Poe. He let out a low whistle, stating his confusion, still clearly fixated on the fact that Kylo was Ben Solo and not the nemesis his master believed him to be. Dameron scowled when the normally faithful little astromech didn’t immediately come at his bidding. Finn was forced to intercede again, pulling Poe along with him before he caused another scene.

Glad that the irritating Resistance pilot was finally out of earshot, Kylo faced his mother. “Well?” He questioned impatiently.

Leia stared at him penetratingly, feeling indignant at his harsh tone. “You can’t just come in here demanding things, Ben.”

Kylo was about to issue a retort when Han finally joined them. “Leia.” He remarked gruffly.

Leia made eye-contact with Han briefly before emitting a weary sigh. “Han told me about the girl. I’m sorry.”

“Your sorry?” Kylo said in disgust. “Is that it?” He turned his ire on Han, immediately blaming him for dragging him back to the Resistance base and giving him false hope and wasting precious time. “I knew this was a mistake.” He accused.

“Just wait!” Han raised his forefinger at him, motioning for him to be quiet. “Just give her a chance…”

“I can speak for myself, Han.” Leia cut in sharply, she softened her tone slightly when she saw the conflict in her husband’s eyes. “Its okay.” Han swallowed thickly and nodded as he backed off a little, allowing Leia to take over the conversation with their son. “I will try and help you in any way you can, but first you have to do something for me.”

“Leia…” Han’s face was filled with disappointment at her response.

“And there it is.” Kylo sneered. “I should have known your ‘help’ would come at a price.”

“What else did you expect, Ben?” Leia had to crane her neck to look up at him he was so tall. He hovered over her like a black shadow, his anger palpable. “It was incredibly brave what you did…. renouncing the First Order…” Her breath hitched slightly, the first sign of emotion that she had given that this unexpected reunion was affecting her at all. “I know you must be familiar with the weapon that destroyed the Hosnian System. If you want my help then you need to tell us all you know.”

Her assumption that he had renounced the First Order of his own free will sent Kylo reeling. Of course, that was the only sensible conclusion she could come to. He had been posing as a member of the Resistance since leaving Jakku. It was what Rey had naturally assumed; he just hadn’t corrected her. It was what his father believed. Hell, even the damn droid who was staring up at him like they were best friends, believed it.

“I just want a ship.” He said again.

Leia looked at him penetratingly. “This girl must mean an awful lot to you for you to risk everything like this. Give me the information we need and you’ll have more than a ship at your disposal.”

Kylo saw a reflection of himself in his mother’s warm brown eyes. He stared at himself, or at least the distorted image of himself. The image showed him the intimidating man the world saw, all they saw, somehow it didn't seem right. He wasn’t that person anymore. Inside he was fireworks and rage, love and frustration, ambition and fear. Against his will, something indefinable inside him had changed. And all he knew was that the source of that change was in great danger and he needed to save her, by any means possible.

“Deal.” He finally agreed.

* * *

Leia could feel Han’s disappointment in her bleeding through his eyes. He had never been good at hiding his emotions, even if he believed otherwise. She focused on the star chart in front of her, trying to keep her own face composed.

“We lost our son. I thought it was forever. We have a proper chance of reconciliation and this is how you choose to handle it. By doing what I asked you not to do-putting your latest cause above the needs of our son.”

Leia tensed, her hands tightening on the console in front of her. “Its not as simple as that and you know it.” She retorted, hurt by his accusation. She forced her fingers, one by one, to let go of the console and moved away from it to face him. “I was so foolish to think I could find Luke and bring him home…instead it was Ben who came home. That has to mean something.” Her voice trembled a little and she wiped a discreet tear away from the corner of her eye.

At the mention of Luke, Han’s face darkened with anger. “Leia…” He began roughly, struggling to find the words to explain Skywalker’s betrayal, but before he could continue, she cut him off.

“Don’t do that!” She warned him as she walked away, shaking her head.

“Do what?” Han demanded.

“Anything.”

“Will you listen to me! I am trying to be helpful.”

“When did that ever help?” Leia said dismissively. “And don’t say the death star.”

Han’s jaw tightened in frustration. She just wouldn’t stop long enough to listen to him. He followed after her as they rejoined the others. Impatient to be gone, Kylo, along with the former stormtrooper Finn, had finished giving the other senior Resistance officers information about Starkiller base. They now had enough intel to plan a strategic attack on the superweapon.

As soon as Kylo laid eyes on his mother again he demanded she keep her end of the bargain. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me. Now you need to do the same. I want the X-wing.”

“That’s Poe’s ship.” Leia frowned. “You can have any other starfighter but that one.”

“It’s the fastest in your fleet.” Kylo answered heatedly. “And the droid is familiar with it.”

“You want to take Dameron’s ship and his droid?” Leia rubbed her aching temples in disbelief as she stared down at BB-8, who seemed to have become just as attached to the scavenger girl as her son. It just made her even more intrigued to meet Rey than ever.

“You said I could take any ship in the fleet. Are you reneging on our deal?” Kylo demanded.

“No, she isn’t. Take the ship.” Han quickly intervened before the whole conversation descended into another battle of wills between mother and son.

“Fine.” Leia muttered. She wasn’t looking forward to Poe’s reaction when he saw Ben taking off in his starfighter. The X-wing was like a second extension of himself. He had lovingly maintained it, adding all the modifications himself. It was built for accuracy and speed. She decided to put off telling Dameron the bad news until the last possible minute. “You can have the ship and the droid, but what are you planning to do when you get there?”

“That’s my problem. Yours will be deactivating the planetary shields on the base.” Kylo was desperate to leave. He had spent enough time talking. He didn’t care about the Resistance; he didn’t care if Snoke’s precious superweapon was destroyed or not. Starkiller had always been Hux’s baby. He had never been directly involved in its development.

“Actually, that’s my job.” Han revealed to Kylo’s surprise. “Mine and Chewie’s. We’re taking the Falcon to the base and from there we’ll make our way inside and blow it up.”

“You don’t know the way. You’ll get lost.” Kylo argued. “I haven’t got time to babysit you.”

“Hey, I’ve done this plenty of times before.” Han protested. “That Finn guy has offered to show us the way.”

“This is your grand plan?” Kylo failed to hide his sarcasm as he looked at his mother.

Amusement lit up Leia’s brown eyes for a second. She gave a small a shrug, very reminiscent of Han. Kylo regarded his parents dubiously. “Unbelievable.” He muttered as he marched off toward Dameron’s X-wing without a second glance. BB-8 hastily rolled after him, doing his best to keep up with Kylo’s long strides.

Han smirked as he watched his son disappear into the distance. “Just like his old man.” He teased as he turned back to face his wife.

Leia moved closer to him, the amusement fading from her eyes as she regarded him sadly. “I’m trusting you to bring him back safe, Han.” She said huskily, her true emotions shining through at last as she dropped her tough façade. “I can’t lose him again.”

“We won’t, Leia. I’ll make sure of it.” Han promised. He reached out and drew her into the comforting circle of his arms.

“You know no matter how hard we fought. I always hated watching you leave.” She whispered against his chest.

A tender smile crossed Han’s face as he rested his hand on the back of her head, cradling it. “That’s why I did it, so you’d miss me.”

“I did miss you. I always have.” Leia murmured as her fingers gripped his shirt. She dropped her composure for a minute and clung to him. “I never stopped loving you, Han Solo.”

“I know, sweetheart.” Han said softly as he kissed the top of her head. “I’ve always known.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	16. The Rescue Begins

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Sixteen-The Rescue Begins **

When the introductions were over, it gave Rey a chance to observe her new companion. Rose was shorter than she was by a few inches. She was pretty, with shoulder length silky black hair framing her pretty face. “Where are you from?” Rey asked a little shyly.

“Hays Minor.” Rose revealed, sadness tinged her eyes as she spoke. “And you?”

“Jakku.”

“Oh….” Rose seemed at a loss for words as she struggled to say something nice about the dry and dusty desert planet. “That’s….”

“Awful.” Rey finished for her with a weak smile.

“I was going for hot.” Rose responded with a smile of her own.

“It was definitely that.”

Despite their desperate situation the two girls descended into a fit of giggles. There was an impatient rap on the other side of the sealed doors as the stormtrooper guarding their cell told them to be quiet or there would be consequences. His warning sobered both girls up and their brief amusement quickly faded.

“Kriffing idiot.” Rose muttered darkly.

Rey put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t used to reaching out to other people. Living a life of isolation on Jakku had made her wary of trusting others. But she found she already felt an infinity with Rose. “Tell me more about your home world and how you ended up here.”

The same sorrow that had touched Rose’s eyes before now took over her whole face. Rey immediately felt guilty for asking such a personal question. It was so out of character for her, she immediately said sorry, but Rose waved away her apologies. “It’s okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Rose let out a heavy sigh. “My home’s gone, Rey. The First Order…they took over the mines and forced my people to mine our planet’s resources to feed their war machine.” She hung her head and fought back tears. “My sister Paige and I…we tried to protect our parents from the First Order mining pollution. I managed to blow up twelve Ore Diggers and stop the First Order's mining operations for three days. I was arrested and brought here…but Paige…she….” Rose couldn’t go on as her tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face. “She was killed by one of the troopers as she tried to mount a rescue for me.”

“Oh, Rose.” Rey murmured sympathetically as she pulled the stricken girl into her arms and hugged her tight. As Rose cried, Rey wondered how long the poor girl had been forced to suppress her grief. She must have been so scared, being stuck in this bare cell, all alone. “Its going to be alright, I promise. We’re going to get out of here.”

A tiny lapse in her grief enabled Rose to pull away, blinking lashes heavy with tears. A small ray of hope lit up her glassy eyes. “How? Do you have a plan?” She asked tremulously.

“Not exactly.” Rey admitted. She saw the hopeful light in Rose’s eyes begin to dim and she rushed to reassure her. “But my friend is coming for me. He’ll get us out of here.”

“How?” Rose was disbelieving. “What can he do alone?”

“He’s not alone. He has high connections in the Resistance.” Rey explained eagerly.

Rose’s eyes turned wide with surprise. “Really? What’s his name?”

“Ben.” Rey told her. “Ben Solo.”

* * *

The dark blanket of space spread out before Kylo in front of the viewscreen, the intense blackness broken by a myriad of stars shining like thousands upon thousands of tiny jewels. The First Order fleet was terrifyingly close. His small starfighter looked like it could be swallowed up by the lead dreadnought’s gaping maw as he hovered in front of it like a tiny insect. He had decided if he was going in to rescue Rey from Starkiller base, the best way was to cause some damage to the fleet as a distraction. If the First Order thought they were under attack from the Resistance they would scramble more Tie Fighters from Starkiller base to protect the main ships.

A swarm of Tie fighters streamed out of the lead dreadnought’s hanger. Kylo’s X-wing starfighter stayed floating aimlessly in front of them, providing a tempting target. He stared out into the velvet dark, letting the light of the stars be his guide. His small starfighter remained suspended in front of the gargantuan Dreadnought. Wave upon wave of Tie fighters flowed toward him in a seemingly endless stream of death.

The enemy was almost on top of him when his X-wing fighter suddenly surged forward, the engines firing on all cylinders as he cut a swift path through the centre of the swarm of Tie fighters. Taken by surprise by his skilful manoeuvre, everything descended into chaos as the enemy tried to scramble and realign themselves and chase him down. Kylo threaded his way through the fighters, at points spinning the X-wing completely on its axis. He fired on anything in his way, causing the destroyed Tie fighters to smash into each other as they exploded in a shower of sparks.

The Force flowed strongly around him until he could feel the very air vibrating with it. Kylo revelled in the feeling, the reckless endangerment only adding to his exultation. The hanger bay was directly in front of him. “Get ready, BB-8.”

The little droid responded with a series of anxious beeps as he determinedly did his best to stop the wiring overheating as Kylo boosted the engines.

Kylo forced the X-wing to go at impossible speeds. He could feel the outside chassis shuddering under the strain. He propelled the ship sharply to the left as he entered the ship’s hanger bay. Chaos ensued as the service personnel, stormtroopers and maintenance droids scrambled to get out of his way. They were never going to be quick enough. “Now, BB-8.” Ben cried as he veered sharply to the right and fired.

The hanger bay exploded around him. Kylo swung around in a desperate attempt to stay ahead of the unfolding explosion. BB-8 was losing the battle against the wiring. It began to spark and flame around him. As soon as he put out one fire, another started. A fiery ball of yellow flame, billowing outwards, filled the hanger bay, escaping through the sections destroyed by the blast wave. The noise reverberated around the dreadnought as efficiently as a thunder clap. Ben wrestled with the controls of the starfighter as he tried to keep ahead of the blast.

The X-wing shot back out into space. A lance like ray of blue-white light shot up into the darkness--a clump of five rays, really, from five deep shafts in an irregular pentagon half a mile across, blended into one by the distance. An instant later, there was a blinding flash, like sheet-lightning, and a huge ball of varicoloured fire belched upwards. That fireball flattened, then spread to form the mushroom-head of a column of incandescent gas that mounted to overtake it, engorging the smoke-rings as it rose, twisting, writhing, changing shape, turning to dark smoke in one moment and belching flame and crackling with lightning the next as the Dreadnought began to break apart.

Kylo let the Force guide him as he kept ahead of the chaos descending behind him. The explosion had taken out most of the Tie Fighters. As BB-8 finally managed to put out the last of the tiny fires smouldering in the engine bay, Kylo let himself relax, his dark eyes glinting with an inner fire as he let the X-wing drift in space for a few minutes before heading back down to the surface.

* * *

Starkiller Base, also called “the Starkiller”, was a base located on the forested ice planet of Ilum, rich in kyber crystals, that was located in the Unknown Regions. The First Order had converted the planet into a base of operations owing to its unique energy-transmitting crystalline deposits, and used it to house a superweapon capable of destroying entire star systems. The superweapon consumed suns as a power source. Its mobility was provided by rocket ports on the far side of the base.

The weapon was powered by a type of dark energy called "quintessence", which was ubiquitous in the universe, and offered a practically unlimited power source to the First Order. Using a star as a power source, an array of collectors on one side of the planet would gather dark energy in stages, redirecting it to the planetary core, where it was held in place by the natural magnetic field of the planet, as well as an artificial containment field maintained by the machinery the First Order had installed within the crust. As the planetary magnetic field would not be enough to contain the amount of energy that the weapon required, a thermal oscillator was also built into the planet. It generated an oscillating containment field which allowed the installation to expend considerably less energy at containing the dark energy than would be required using a steady containment field. A colossal hollow cylinder, embedded within the massive trench left by the Empire's mining and large enough to dominate the view of the planet from orbit, penetrated the containment field to a predetermined distance, in order to direct the blast towards its target, and also to absorb its energy, which would otherwise cause catastrophic ground quakes. This design made the weapon vulnerable when it was fully charged, as the destruction of the containment field oscillator the moment before the weapon fired would release the accumulated energy not through the firing cylinder, but throughout the planetary core where it was being held, leading to the gradual collapse of the surface into the core.

Kylo piloted Dameron’s X-wing as close to the base as possible. As he made his descent, he saw a deep trench embedded on the planet’s snowy surface. He guided the X-wing expertly, following in the trench’s wake. It was clear some ship had suffered a rocky landing. When his curious gaze landed on the Millennium Falcon half embedded in the snow, just shy of the cliff’s edge, he rolled his eyes. He should have guessed his father was behind it. The closer he got to the surface, he could see the deep footprints embedded in the snow belonging to Han, Chewie and the ex-stormtrooper, Finn, as they headed in the direction of the base.

Kylo landed the X-wing, leaving it parked a few meters away from the Falcon. As he climbed out of the cockpit, he saw the first of the Tie Fighters shoot off from the planet’s surface as they went to the aid of the beleaguered fleet. While he was pre-occupied watching the skies, BB-8 was lowered to the ground. The small droid rolled to join him, beeping excitedly in his binary language. He was raring to go, eager to be reunited with Rey again. Kylo glanced down at the little astromech, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt as he realised that BB-8 was expecting to be part of the daring rescue.

“You’re too easily recognisable. I can’t take you with me.” Kylo said as he hunkered down and brushed some snow crystals off of BB-8’s dome head. BB-8 let out a disappointed whistle as he begged to come along. “I need you to stay here and guard the ship. While I’m gone it will give you time to fix any issues. I’m counting on you.”

Kylo couldn’t believe he was trying to comfort a droid. He was definitely losing it. His efforts were rewarded by a series of happy beeps from BB-8. The little lighter shot out from its base, indicating a thumbs up. Kylo refrained from rolling his eyes as he copied BB-8 by raising his own thumb. “I’ll be back.” He promised as he pushed himself back onto his feet.

* * *

The wind howled, piling up snow in drifts, blinding Kylo’s eyes with ice-white dust. Breath pale against the numbing air, he narrowed his eyes against the icy glare and reached for his saber. He ignited it, the fiery red blade crackled, casting an eerie red glow on the snowy surface. With a determined set of his jaw he took off at a fast sprint toward the base.

_“I’m coming for you, Rey.”_ Kylo called out to her telepathically in his mind, not even certain she would even hear him. _“Be ready.”_

Deep in the bowels of Starkiller-still trapped in the holding cell with Rose-Rey heard him.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	17. Losing Control

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed this story._ **

** Chapter Seventeen-Losing Control **

_“I’m coming for you, Rey. Be ready.”_

Rey’s eyes widened slightly with elation at the sound of Ben’s voice in her head. She had no idea how this sudden telepathic communication worked, but in that moment, she was grateful for it.

“Rey, are you okay?” Rose asked cautiously. “You look kind of strange.”

Rey hesitated, wondering whether it was safe enough to confide to her new friend the strange things that had been happening to her ever since Ben had come into her life. Loneliness had been her only dependable friend, there morning, noon and night. On Jakku she had led such an isolated life, that days, sometimes weeks went by without her conversing with anyone. Now in such a short amount of time her whole existence had been turned on its head. She now found herself around people that actually cared about her, cared enough to risk their own lives to come to her rescue. It was a heady feeling and also a frightening one. Rey didn’t think she had the words to explain that to Rose. Not yet.

“I’m fine.” She said eventually.

“You sure?” Rose checked.

“I’m sure.” Rey promised with a small smile.

“Good.” A determined glint lit up Rose’s dark eyes. “Now we need to come up with a plan to get out of here.”

Rey looked at her new friend in confusion. “I told you my friend is coming. We need to just sit tight and wait until he gets here.”

Rose was disbelieving. “You don’t know that for sure.”

“I do. He’s on his way right now.” Rey answered fervently.

“Oh, so you’ve got a secret communication device stashed somewhere, have you?”

“Well…no.”

“Then you can’t be one hundred percent sure that he’s coming.” Rose said dismissively. “We need to help ourselves, Rey. Don’t you see that?”

“If you thought that, then why didn’t you try anything before?” Rey questioned sharply.

Rose lowered her voice just in case the guard was listening in on the other side of the cell doors. “The odds were against me before. But you’re here now. The two of us can easily overpower a single stormtrooper. We just need to create some kind of fuss to get him in here-maybe we could fake a fight or something.”

“How do you know there’s only a single trooper out there?”

“We’re low level prisoners. They won’t throw much of their resources at us.” Rose explained in a hushed whisper. “Come on, Rey. We need to be pro-active. You don’t seem like a girl who’s willing to just sit on the side lines like some kind of damsel in distress waiting to be rescued. Or did I read you wrong?”

Rose’s sly taunts found their mark. Rey narrowed her eyes in indignation as she drew herself up to her full height. “Bring it on.” She snapped.

“That’s more like it.” Rose said triumphantly. “Now we just need to create that diversion.”

“Leave it to me. Just make sure you’re ready.” Rey pushed Rose none too gently to one side and began to hammer on the cell doors. “Help!” She shrieked. “She’s gone crazy. She’s trying to kill me. Help! Get me out of here.”

Rose remembered the old holodrama’s she used to watch with her family when she was very young. A lot of the acting was very bad, but not as bad as Rey’s. She really didn’t think the guard was going to fall for it, until to her surprise the cell doors swept open, but instead of revealing a single trooper, there was a whole squad of them and at their head stood General Hux.

* * *

When he entered the base Kylo found it in complete chaos. His attack on the lead dreadnought had the desired effect he wanted. The First Order was scrambling to defend itself, thinking it was under attack from a horde of Resistance fighters. That would come soon, but not just yet-Han, Chewie and Finn needed to complete their mission first and disable Starkiller’s shields so the Resistance fighters could destroy it.

“Ben…. hey, son! Answer your old man, would you!” Han’s irritated voice crackled through the handheld comm-link that was clipped to Kylo’s belt. When Kylo didn’t immediately answer, there followed a series of muffled curses from Han, complaining that the damn thing was useless. In the background Kylo could hear Finn calmly telling Han that the device was in perfect working order. Han silenced the former trooper with a sharp retort as he demanded Kylo answer him.

Kylo sighed in annoyance as he unclipped the small device and held it close to his mouth. “If you keep yelling like that, you’ll attract unwanted attention. You’re supposed to be keeping out of trouble, not looking for it.” He seethed.

“I don’t look for trouble. It finds me.” Han answered grumpily. The sensitive microphone on the small comm-link picked up Chewie’s loud whine in the background. There was another muffled curse from Han. “You’re cold?” He accused his hairy friend.

Kylo huffed impatiently. “Are you even in the base yet?”

“We’re close. Don’t worry.” Han downplayed everything as usual. “We just had a bit of a skirmish but we’re all good now. We’re about to go in. And you? You find the kid yet?”

“For fuc….” Kylo had to bite his tongue in order to stop himself venting his fury on his hapless father. “I’ve only just got here myself.”

“What?” Han responded incredulously. “What have you been doing all this time?”

“Nothing much-just blowing up a kriffing dreadnought!” Kylo snapped.

There was an amused chuckle from Han. “That’s my boy. I’ll check in again when we’ve disabled the shields. Say hi to Rey from me when you find her. Over and…”

Kylo cut off the link before his father had a chance to complete his sentence. He scowled as his fingers curled around the haft of his cross-guarded lightsaber. His anger burned as intensely as the fiery red plasma blade. Why did Han Solo never take anything seriously? He just had to have faith that Chewbacca could rein in his father’s impetuousness long enough for them to complete the mission without incident. His sole focus was on finding Rey, that was the only reason he was here in the first place.

Dismissing everything else from his mind, Kylo gave himself over to the Force and immediately sought to bridge his mind with Rey’s long enough to locate her. Elation washed over him as he felt the familiar sensation of their unique connection hovering on the edge of his consciousness. He could feel the raw power simmering underneath, like touching a live wire. As soon as their minds linked, Kylo was privy to all of Rey’s thoughts and feelings, and what he saw infuriated him. Unforgiving rage burned like a hot white flame deep inside him, setting off a primitive part of the brain that is activated to produce aggression. His fingers tightened on the hilt of his saber as he lost control and sped off in hot pursuit of the target of his ire.

* * *

“We meet again, Ms. Tico.” Hux sneered derisively in Rose’s direction.

Rose’s pretty features twisted into a fierce scowl as she stepped forward and spat in Hux’s face. “You murdering bastard.” She was immediately accosted by two of the troopers, who forced her down onto her knees in front of their enraged general.

Rey immediately went to her friend’s aid, she fought valiantly with her bare fists, but was soon overwhelmed and forced down next to Rose. While she was being subdued, Hux took the opportunity to wipe the spittle from his face with the sleeve of his jacket. Rose was still struggling, unwilling to show any weakness in front of her loathed enemy. A pendant she wore around her neck fell to the floor and Hux immediately placed his boot over it, before leaning down to pick it up so he could inspect it.

“The Otomok system. That brings back memories.” He said smugly as he leaned closer to Rose. “You vermin may draw a little blood with a little bite now and then.” He continued as he carefully draped the pendant back around her neck, before letting his forefinger graze the soft skin of her cheek. “But we will always win.”

Rose suddenly surged forward, her teeth biting down on that very same finger. Hux let out a startled yell as he jumped back, cradling his bloodied finger. Rose smiled up at him defiantly, not cowed at all.

“Execute them both!” Hux’s reckless orders were cut off as he began to choke. His fingers began to claw at his throat. His face turning puce as his airways were completely cut off.

Rey exchanged a confused glance with Rose, before slowly turning her head so she could look over her shoulder. She had been so caught up in fighting for her life that she had been completely unaware of him, but as soon as her thirsty gaze drank him in, she could feel his dark rage seeping through the bond, tightening her throat and making her eyes burn. Rey hardly recognised him; this wasn’t the man she had come to know. This man was truly terrifying, his dark eyes feverish with anger, his whole body was vibrating with it as he continued to Force choke his hated rival, Hux, for daring to lay a finger on her.

“Ben?” She whispered through bloodless lips.

Rose looked at Rey as if she had lost her mind. “What are you talking about?” She whispered harshly. “We’re really in trouble now. That’s Kylo Ren.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	18. Escape

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Eighteen-Escape **

_Kylo Ren?_

Rey felt a sudden urge to laugh at the absurdity of Rose’s statement. She was wrong. So very wrong. She knew of the darkside apprentice. Of course, she did. Even on Jakku his fearsome reputation preceded him. Ben may have lost control right now-he had just heard Hux threaten to execute her-it would make anyone overreact. On Takodana, he had admitted to her that even though he wasn’t actually a Jedi, he had been trained by his famous uncle, Luke Skywalker, in the ways of the Force.

“You’re mistaken.” Rey whispered defensively to Rose. “That’s Ben Solo.”

Rose stared at Rey bitterly. “Then why is he wielding Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, huh? Look at it. Ren’s weapon is unusual and very well-known. It has a rep all of its own. Explain that.”

Rey stubbornly held onto her belief that she was right. Nothing Rose could say would sway her opinion that the guy she had spent so long nursing was really Kylo Ren. It was ridiculous. She tried to repress her anxiety as she glanced at Ben again. He had released Hux from his chokehold and now stood above him threateningly. Rey focused on the distinctive saber he was holding and she felt a cold shiver ripple down her spine as a tumult of memories consumed her. She remembered the terrifying vision she had experienced in the dungeons beneath Maz’s castle. She hadn’t understood most of it, but one scene stood out-the masked monster, dressed in full battle gear, with his knights arrayed behind him in the blood-soaked snow-and he was wielding an exact copy of the weapon that Ben was brandishing now.

Rey closed her eyes briefly in denial as she tried to shake the memory out of her head. It wasn’t Ben. It couldn’t be Ben. Somehow, he had Ren’s weapon in his possession, but there could be plenty of plausible explanations for that. He was Han Solo’s son. His uncle was the famous jedi, Luke Skywalker. His mother a princess and a general in the Resistance. Anxiety caused an electrical storm in Rey’s brain as she tried to justify everything to herself. It became quite painful and she let out a restrained whimper. The pain was different from a headache and it felt the same as intense sorrow, perhaps as a sort of frozen panic.

Suddenly, the base was rocked by a series of intense explosions. Out on the rolling skyline, a lance like ray of blue-white light shot up into the gathering dusk--a clump of five rays, really, from five deep shafts in an irregular pentagon half a mile across, blended into one by the distance. An instant later, there was a blinding flash, like sheet-lightning, and a huge ball of varicoloured fire belched upward. Inside the base was in total chaos.

Rey had been thrown forward by the unexpected blast. Out of this shock, she felt herself issuing amid a mass of terrible sensations: the fearful blow of the explosion, the noise of glass, the hoarse howl of people, the rushing of men, the sound of many booted feet, the sudden gulf, the awful gulfing whirlpool of black smoke that threatened to choke her.

“Rose?” Rey gasped. “Rose?” She reached out with her hand through the blinding smoke until she finally made contact with the silky cap of Rose’s hair. Rey coughed, her eyes streaming water as she pulled herself toward her friend. “Answer me, Rose! Please? Are you okay?”

The choking smoke continued to fill her lungs and she collapsed next to Rose’s unconscious form as she succumbed to its effects. Her last coherent thought was for Ben as she wondered where in this hellscape he was.

* * *

There was another enormous explosion. A burst of orange flame punched its way out of the main complex. Smoke and fire rushed out. Thousands of pieces of glass and steel, a deadly rainfall, showered down. Alarms - shrill and deafening- erupted. Kylo cursed the Resistance to hell, his father must have disabled the shields earlier than he had expected, and instead of waiting for them to clear the base, the Resistance had decided to launch their attack immediately. Kylo felt a growing resentment building up inside him toward his mother. Why hadn’t she waited? Why would she give the order to fire knowing they were still trapped inside and far from safe?

Kylo ignored the panicked chaos that was going on around him as the First Order troops desperately tried to escape the base before it collapsed in on itself completely. Hux had already fled like the craven coward he was. Ben tried to regain his focus as he searched for Rey in the billowing black smoke. Its cruel sting made his eyes water so badly that he could hardly see. He attempted to call Rey’s name, but when he opened his mouth, all he succeeded in doing was breathing in the poisonous fumes. He coughed violently, staggering forward in the general direction he had last seen Rey. She was close. He could _fee_ l her.

The smoke wasn't completely opaque, but its long grey wisps seemed to curl with others that were much darker, some near black. These stretching entities would show themselves in short, dramatic eclipses. Out of this smouldering nightmare Han emerged, followed by Chewbacca and Finn.

“Ben?” Han Solo’s gruff voice was muffled behind the breathing mask he was wearing. A small oxygen tank was slung over one shoulder. Chewie and Finn were wearing similar masks. As soon as he caught sight of his son staggering in the distance Han increased his pace until he reached him.

“Dad, you came back for me?” Kylo questioned hoarsely.

“Of course, I did.” Han answered roughly as he yanked the oxygen mask off his face, holding his breath as he offered it to his son.

Kylo took it gratefully and greedily breathed in the pure air before hastily passing it back to his father. Chewie and Finn had joined them now. Kylo cast them an anguished glance as he plunged back into the black smoke as he renewed his desperate search for Rey. Han and the others followed close behind him, with the former continuing to share the oxygen with his son. With the four of them on the hunt, it didn’t take them long to find Rey lying unconscious on the floor next to Rose.

With his mind a vortex of emotions, Kylo hunkered down, his gentle fingers grazing Rey’s cheek in a tender caress before they drifted to the pulse point at the base of her neck. His eyes squeezed shut in relief when he felt her pulse beating strongly underneath his fingers. Tears pooled under his lids and he was forced to blink them away. When he opened them again, he found Finn beside him, checking Rose over for signs of life. Their eyes met briefly and a silent understanding passed between them. Finn was the first to break away as he gave a slight nod of his head, indicating that Rose was alive. With Chewie and Han helping, they lifted the fallen girls between them and made their way quickly out of the base, while the Resistance fighters continued to bombard it from above.

* * *

They emerged into a world of bluster and ice. In the distance snow covered the rich, deep wood in perfect white. Kylo breathed in the frigid air, filling his lungs with it until they physically couldn’t hold in anymore. He cradled Rey bridal style in his arms as he followed behind Han, Finn and Chewie. The tall Wookie cuddled Rose against his furry body to keep her warm; her head lolling on his furry shoulder as he moved. As he walked, Kylo checked on Rey often, his anxious gaze roaming her face for any signs of discomfort. She was wrapped in Han’s thick coat to ward off the chill on the short journey back to the Falcon. The wind picked up, howling around them, piling up snow in drifts, blinding the air with ice-white dust. Kylo walked bent over as he shielded Rey with his body, protectively.

Soon the ships came into view. They were strung out in a line as they pushed their way through the building snow toward them. As they drew closer, a series of agitated beeps and whistles greeted them as BB-8 rolled anxiously toward them. The little droid became even more jittery when he saw Rey unconsciousness in Kylo’s arms. He began to babble at Kylo in his binary language. Kylo looked down at the little astromech wearily. He didn’t have the energy to speak. Instead he raised his thumb, hoping that would suffice. The little lighter in BB-8’s base shot out in response, showing he understood.

* * *

The Millennium Falcon and the X-wing had only just cleared the planet’s surface when-unbeknownst to them-Poe Dameron fired on the conduit leading to the thermal oscillator, starting a chain reaction of explosions across the planet's surface. The planet imploded and then exploded, the stored material from the drained sun expanding to create a new micro-star in the planet's place, turning the star system into a binary.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	19. Back to D'Qar

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter. I listened to the Taylor Swift Song-This is Me Trying-while I read this. It just reminded me of Ben. I don’t know why._ **

** Chapter Nineteen-Back to D’Qar **

D'Qar was a planet located in the Ileenium system on the edge of the galaxy's Mid Rim and Outer Rim Territories, relatively close to Naboo and Crait. An obscure world far from the main space lanes, its remoteness had made D'Qar the perfect hiding place for the Resistance base, and it was with a heavy heart that they began to make preparations to leave it, knowing that retaliation from the First Order was imminent after destroying Starkiller. When the Millennium Falcon and Dameron’s borrowed X-wing returned back to camp, they found it was already dismantled.

Kylo hastily climbed out of the X-wing, and as soon as his boots hit the ground, he was off running toward the Falcon. BB-8 rolled after him, doing his best to keep up, but was soon outdistanced by Kylo’s longer strides. The Falcon’s ramp was already down when Kylo reached his father’s ship, and Han and the others were in the process of descending. Finn was carrying a comatose Rose, while Chewie did the same with Rey. Kylo acknowledged the former stormtrooper with a subtle nod of his head. No words were spoken between them as Finn returned his gesture in kind, before heading off to the medical bay with Rose.

Kylo didn’t even bother greeting his father, his whole focus was on Rey. Like Rose, she was still unconscious. He stopped Chewie, impatiently motioning for the tall Wookie to give up his precious cargo. He wanted to be the one to carry her. Chewie let out a small whine as he reluctantly gave up possession of Rey to Kylo, murmuring in Shyriiwook for him to be careful. Kylo barely heard him as he adjusted Rey in his arms so she would be as comfortable as possible. Her brunette hair had unravelled from its three-bun style. Waves of brown hair that refracted the sun's gentle light framed her face, penetrating the smooth layers. As he carried her to the medical bay Kylo became fascinated by the freckles on her face- light, delicate, they sprinkled softly on her pale cheeks.

“Keep an eye on him for me.” Han said in a low voice to Chewie as his watchful gaze landed on Leia, who was swiftly approaching them.

“You mean keep him out of trouble.” Chewie responded in his own language.

“That too.” Han gave his old friend a wry smile and a pat on the back.

Chewie shook his head and he let out another soft growl as he slowly followed in Kylo’s wake. Han stood with his hands on his hips as he waited for his wife to join him. He was tense, his jaw working as he tried to keep his bitter feelings under control.

“Don’t look at me like that, Han.” Leia warned as soon as she joined him. Her abundant hair was wound into a complicated braid around the back of her head, she was wrapped in a grey cape that highlighted the silver strands framing her face.

“Why would you give the order to attack the base when you knew we were still inside?” Han demanded.

“You made it out.” Leia answered as she subtly inspected him for any signs of injury.

“By the skin of our teeth.” Han scowled.

“I had every faith that you would.” Leia’s brown eyes were warm as she regarded him with affection.

“Please, tell me you aren’t really that hard?” Han’s bitterness seeped out despite his best efforts to conceal it.

The light in Leia’s eyes dimmed. “You knew it was going to be a tight schedule, Han. You were informed of the risks; you still chose to go.”

“So, your own family are expendable as long as it furthers your cause and you get the results you wanted.” Han snapped at her.

“That’s not fair and you know it.” Leia didn’t hide the pain in her voice at his cruel accusation. “You have no right to judge me.”

“Yet you are so good at judging others.” Han countered roughly as he stared her down. He was about to say more when they were interrupted by the arrival of Poe Dameron. He frowned, turning his angry glare onto the reckless Resistance pilot. “You fired on the conduit too early. Why?” He questioned sharply.

Dameron had the grace to look uncomfortable. He averted his gaze, not quite able to look Han in the eyes. Leia’s face registered confusion as she regarded her mentee with a troubled frown. “Poe?” She asked. “Is this true?”

Poe swallowed thickly before answering. “I saw an opportunity so I took it. You would have done the same, General.”

“Don’t you dare presume to tell me what I would or wouldn’t do, Dameron.” Leia snapped. “You’re demoted.”

“What?” Poe spluttered. “We took down a superweapon! You start an attack. You follow it through.”

“Poe, get your head out of your cockpit. There are things you cannot solve by jumping in an X-wing and blowing something up.” She cried in frustration. “I need you to learn that.” She turned away from him, but he caught her arm to stop her. Leia gave him an imperious stare and he quickly let go.

“You should be congratulating me and the others. We were all heroes on that mission.” Poe said defensively.

“One mistake and you could have all been dead heroes.” Leia argued. “Your penchant for taking unnecessary risks is going to get us all killed someday unless you learn some restraint.”

Feeling humiliated from his public dressing down, Poe’s lips thinned as he turned on his heel and marched away. Leia watched him leave with a weary sigh, before glancing at Han. “Don’t say it.” She muttered.

“So, how’s your replacement son working out for you?” Han said sarcastically.

Pain flashed in Leia’s eyes. “How dare you say that to me! Poe isn’t- “

Han cut her off with an impatient gesture with his forefinger. “The truth can sometimes hurt, sweetheart. I’m going to check on Ben. When you can find some time away from your busy schedule, perhaps you can do the same.” He said as he walked away.

* * *

Han found Kylo on the Raddus-an MC85 Star Cruiser that served as the flagship for the Resistance-in the temporarily relocated medical bay. He was slumped in the doorway, leaning against the wall of Rey’s small cubicle. He looked tired and on the verge of collapsing. His only company was the little astromech-BB-8.

“How’s the kid?” Han asked huskily as he peered into the cubicle. Rey was hooked up to various monitors. Her dirty clothes had been discarded and she had been cleaned up by the medical droids. She was now covered just by a thin gown.

Kylo shrugged wearily as he trained his eyes on Rey. “Harter said she’ll wake up in an hour…. maybe, two.”

Han raised his eyebrows. “You spoke to Harter?” Harter Kalonia was a human female who served as a doctor with the New Republic and later the Resistance. She was also a Resistance officer holding the military rank of Major and was one of Leia’s oldest friends. “How did that go?”

“She was professional, like always.” Kylo murmured. He was still looking at Rey, his intense gaze lingering on her lovely face.

“You should get some rest. I can sit with the kid until she wakes up.” Han offered gruffly.

“No, I want to be here when Rey wakes up.” Kylo forced his face to relax.

Han nodded as he settled down next to his son. “But that doesn’t stop your old man from keeping you company though, does it?”

Kylo’s facial expression showed his surprise and his gratitude. “Thanks.” He mumbled; his voice strained as if he wasn’t used to expressing the sentiment.

The two men remained silent for a while as they listened to the quiet beeps of the machines monitoring Rey’s vital signs. The small cubicle was sterile and devoid of any creature comfort. There was no decoration and smelled of some strong bleach. Rey lay on the cot, eyes closed, her breathing matching the beeping of the machines that surrounded the bed, the only indications of her heartbeat.

“You know you’re going to have to tell her the truth about who you really are.” Han ventured after some time had passed. “There’s no hiding it anymore and its better coming from you.”

Kylo tensed, his handsome face showcasing his misery. His gaze turned brooding as he met Han’s sympathetic gaze. “I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.”

“You do.” Han said reassuringly as he reached out and touched Kylo’s cheek affectionately.

“Dad!” Kylo’s chin quivered slightly as his fear of rejection shone bright in his dark eyes.

“I know, son.” Han replied with a half-smile. He jerked his head in Rey’s direction. Her eyes were open. She was awake. “I’ll leave you to it.” He patted Kylo gently on the shoulder before taking his leave.

Kylo’s facial expression sank faster than a stone on a pond, his skin became icy and pale as white itself. Was he even breathing? He wasn’t sure his lungs were even functioning anymore. He had faced many terrifying situations in his life, but nothing compared to how terrifying it was to face Rey and reveal the truth about himself. Every thought in his mind was silenced into denial and grief. He wanted to put it off for a while, forever if he could.

“Ben?” Rey said hoarsely. “Where am I?”

“On board the Raddus. You’re safe.” He managed to choke out.

“You came back for me.” She responded with unrestrained delight.

“I’ll always come back.” Kylo answered fervently.

Pearl shaped tears rolled down Rey’s cheeks from her wide luminous eyes. She blessed him with the sweetest smile and it made him feel more like a fraud than ever. In his despair, Kylo wondered if he would ever see that smile directed at him again once he trusted her with the truth. As much as he wanted to put off the inevitable, he knew he was running out of time, Han was right, he owed Rey the truth, no matter what it cost him.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	20. An Honest Conversation

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-An Honest Conversation **

“Rey, we need to talk….” Kylo began.

“Me first.” Rey cut in. Her happy smile extended right to her eyes, twinkling with excitement. Kylo couldn’t help but reciprocate, his smile limited to his mouth, unsure of what to expect next and wary of being drawn into a conversation that would put off what he needed to say. “First I want to thank you for risking everything to come and rescue me.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Rey.” Kylo felt awkward, he didn’t feel worthy of her gushing praise. “You saved me first, remember.”

“Its not the same. You risked your life to…”

“And you risked yours to nurse a stranger.” Kylo interrupted her.

“And it was worth it because I got to meet you.” Rey’s bright smile faltered when she finally saw the agony reflected back at her from his expressive dark eyes. “Wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it was definitely worth it.” Kylo’s voice was tight with strain. “But you see there’s so much you don’t know about me.”

“I want to…. if you’ll let me.” Rey now felt nervous and unsure. She was beginning to think she had misread the situation and was regretting the hasty decision to speak.

“You might change your mind about that after you hear what I have to say.” Kylo said in defeat.

A heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Unsettled eyes glanced unceremoniously around and tried to avoid catching each other’s glances. Now that he had started, Kylo didn’t think he had the courage to continue. He wanted to go back to the moment she had first woken up and blessed him with that precious smile. He didn’t want to shatter her faith in him. She was the only one who had any left.

Rey began to pick nervously at the thin hospital gown she was wearing. Her jubilant mood had vanished under the weight of Kylo’s melancholy. She was suddenly afraid to hear what he had to say, but if she was honest with herself, she knew what was coming.

“Rey.” Kylo finally broke the tense silence. He felt breathless when Rey’s intense gaze settled on him with unrestrained curiosity. Her eyes were the color of milk chocolate edged with a deep forest-green. He drowned in them. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

Kylo went pale, his jaw tight and strained as he held her gaze for a few seconds longer. Reluctantly he tore his eyes away from her and glanced down at the two sabers attached to his belt. He removed them both and held them out to Rey. Her eyes widened slightly in recognition and she drew in a sharp breath.

“That’s the saber we found in Maz’s castle.” She said uneasily before her attention drifted to the other, more uniquely designed weapon. “And that….” She paused, swallowing thickly. “Rose told me that blade belongs to Kylo Ren. Why do you have it?”

Breathing that usually came so naturally, now seemed a struggle. He took it for granted until his ribs became steel traps. The words were forced out of him as he finally admitted the truth. “It belongs to me. I’m Kylo Ren.”

* * *

Kylo knew the next few words that Rey spoke would either pass as a blip in the course of his life, or they would be the final trauma that broke him. The fear thoughts looped around in his mind until there was no room for anything else. When Rey looked at him there was a feeling in his gut that said, "no," but another in his heart that said, "yes." He decided in that moment that whatever the outcome if he didn’t fight to find the courage to do what was right for her then he was a coward. He had chosen to be brave instead of being the puppet of his fear. That had to mean something.

“I think I always knew.” Rey admitted tentatively.

“You did?” Kylo raised his eyes cautiously to hers.

“Yes…I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.” Though there was fear in her chest, there was none in her heart, she couldn’t equate the fact that Ben Solo and Kylo Ren-with his fearsome reputation-were the same person. “During your fever, when I asked you what your name was, you didn’t seem to know-you kept veering between Ky and Ben. That’s why I mistook your name for Kyben.” She sighed at the memory. Her eyes were liquid gold as she looked back at him sadly. “Do you know who you are now?”

Kylo breathed shallowly. He was scared. So damn scared to say the wrong thing. “I’m lost, Rey.” His earnest admission cost him, but it was the truth, raw and untamed. “But I want you to know that this is me trying.”

“I believe you. I appreciate you being honest with me.”

Kylo’s breath seemed to stutter in his lungs before he let it go, feeling the tension drain from his body. His breathing returned to normal and he felt his eyes turn glassy with unshed tears of relief. “Thank you.” He said huskily.

The three most powerful words in the world are “I believe you.” Rey couldn’t have picked a better way to show her faith in him. Kylo felt a little light pierce the darkness of his melancholy. No one had ever given him that solace before. He was used to being judged and found guilty, even when he hadn’t done anything wrong. Skywalker had set the pattern, the night he had decided to murder his nephew in his sleep.

“Can I get you anything?” Kylo asked solicitously. “Are you thirsty? You must be hungry- “

“Ben.” Rey hastily interrupted him.

_She was still calling him Ben._

Kylo wanted to hug her in gratitude, but he remained rooted in place, afraid to overstep some invisible boundary. “Yes.” He said instead. His nerves were frayed to the quick. In his building anxiety he constructed elaborate rationalizations for why everything would turn out alright, but still the nagging voice in the back of his mind spoke of nothing but doom ahead.

“What I really need is some space.” Rey said carefully.

“Okay.”

“It’s just a lot to process.” She tried to explain.

“Yeah, whatever you need.” Kylo’s anxiety sat just below his smile as he rose to his feet. He reached for his cross-guarded saber and clipped it back onto his belt.

“You forgot that one.” Rey gestured toward the hilt of the legacy saber-the one that had once been wielded by the Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, and later by his son, Luke Skywalker.

“It belongs to you.” Kylo found himself saying.

“No. I don’t want it.” Rey stated adamantly as she cowered away from the legendary saber.

“It called to you, Rey. Not me.” Kylo reminded her gently. “The Force flows strongly through you. You don’t need to be afraid. When you’re ready to talk again, come find me.”

As he turned to leave, he nearly tripped over BB-8, who had been a silent witness to their conversation. Kylo’s cheeks flushed as he stared down at the little astromech for a full minute, before charging out of the room. BB-8’s dome head swiveled in the direction he had gone, then returned to Rey, who had been watching their interaction with a sad smile.

“Go after him, BB-8. He could really use a good friend right now.” She urged the droid gently. BB-8 let out a low whistle. “I’m fine. Please go after him, BB-8. It would set my mind at ease.”

The faithful little droid didn’t need asking twice. Without any more hesitation he rolled out of the room, hurriedly following in Kylo’s wake.

* * *

As Kylo ventured outside the base he found the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Rain conjured a sweet pattern upon his skin, the thousands of liquid globes reflecting the greenery of nature. It was cooling, a welcome shower to add to the senses. It made him feel more alive than any manmade high ever could. So as the clouds gathered, he could feel his soul stir, the air electrified as it anticipates the quenching storm.

Kylo admired the picturesque view in front of him. The rain brought with it a richness to each hue, the browns deepened in a way that soothed his heart, bringing a steadiness to his soul just like Rey’s words had- “I believe you,” she’d said. The grass was glossy, reflecting the light, adding a new bright shine to their wands, softly waving in the breeze. The rain brought a freshness, each drop a heaven-given gift for each part of creation. Kylo raised up his hand, tilting his face toward the sky, feeling water and sunshine together. As he did so, a song stirred within his heart, one that feels as if it means "thank you" and "love" all at once. Perhaps this is joy, a happiness that feels pure, he thought. Rey had brought him that.

Kylo was broken out of his quiet introspection by something brushing against the side of his leg. He glanced down, his thick lashes heavy with water droplets, to find BB-8 beside him. “What are you doing here?” He asked in surprise.

The little droid let out a low whistle and a series of beeps in his binary language. “Being a friend.” He said.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	21. Disappointment

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-One-Disappointment **

Rey was lamenting the loss of her clothes. The medical droids had seen fit to dispose of them completely, deeming them not fit for purpose. Instead some others had been found for her-an eclectic mix of garments that they had tried to match as closely as possible to her old outfit. Reluctantly she pulled the dark grey capri length pants over her legs. They were much more close fitting than her old ones, and clung snugly to every curve. The tunic was of a similar colour and as form fitting as the pants. She sighed irritably as she hunted around for her arm wraps. She felt naked and exposed without them. But it seemed the blasted droids had disposed of them, too. Muttering an oath under her breath, she tried to fashion similar wraps by tearing up strips from the pristine white sheet that covered the cot she had been lying in.

Thankfully her boots and leather belt had survived the purge. Rey slipped her feet gratefully into the calf length boots, pleased with their comforting familiarity. The belt was a problem all on its own. She had lost weight again. She was forced to pierce another hole so she could do up the clasp. Rey couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten something. Now she was aware of it, she felt the familiar gnawing hunger pains stabbing in her stomach. Like she had trained herself to do, she stoically ignored them. Reaching for the saber Ben had given her, she quickly clipped it onto her belt, unconsciously caressing the hilt with her fingers before letting go.

Now she was decent.

Rey looked around the small cubicle one last time, checking she hadn’t forgotten anything. She wished she knew what had happened to her quarterstaff. She wondered if it was still on the Falcon. With everything that had been going on, she couldn’t remember the last time she had seen it. Letting out another weary sigh, she finally left the cubicle and went to see how Rose was faring.

* * *

It didn’t take long for Rey to track down Rose. All she had to do was follow the sound of her new friend’s animated chatter. Rey was envious of Rose’s ability to engage so easily with complete strangers. Having led such an isolated existence, she struggled to form friendships. On Jakku it was every one for themselves as they fought a daily battle for survival. Ben had been the first friend she had made-

_Ben!_

Melancholy settled on her shoulders like a heavy cloak as she thought about their last conversation. She couldn’t imagine what it had cost him to be so brutally honest with her. He didn’t owe her an explanation. He hadn’t exactly lied to her-she had made a lot of assumptions and he hadn’t corrected her. He had told her his name was Ben Solo-that wasn’t technically a lie, either-it was his birth name. But he also went by another, much more terrifying moniker-Kylo Ren.

Was that a lie by omission?

Rey wasn’t sure about anything anymore. Maybe they were the worst type of lies-the ones close enough to the truth to pass under the radar, crueller than the ones that are so big you'd never dream a person could make something like that up. She didn’t know what to think or feel. It was all just so messed up. She knew him as Ben Solo, and had only gotten a brief glimpse of his other persona, Kylo Ren, on Starkiller base when he had come to her rescue. They were one and the same person, but such separate personalities. How could that be possible?

_Ben._

_Kylo._

Which part was more dominant? It was so puzzling, but also deeply intriguing. Rey could feel herself already drawn to go back to him. It was like an invisible string was tying them together. She could feel him there, hovering on the edge of her consciousness, even though he was nowhere in sight. This odd bond that had developed between them was as arousing and complex as Ben himself. It was such a strange phenomenon, but Rey found herself intrigued to explore it further.

The sound of Rose giggling shook Rey out of her brooding thoughts. Who was she talking to? Rey quickened her pace as she followed the sound of Rose’s tinkling laughter. She soon reached the door of her friend’s cubicle and peered inside curiously. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw it was Finn that had her friend in raptures. The former stormtrooper was sitting in a relaxed pose next to Rose’s cot, his dark eyes were filled with amusement as he listened to Rose talk, her hands forming animated gestures as she spoke.

“Hey.” Rey felt guilty at interrupting such a cosy scene.

“Hi, Rey.” Rose’s eyes shone with mirth as she gestured for Rey to come inside. “I wondered where you were. This is Finn by the way. He was part of the rescue party.”

“Oh, we’ve met before.” Rey’s cheeks grew warm with embarrassment as she recognised Finn as the ‘thief’ she had tackled on Jakku when BB-8 informed her that the guy had stolen his master’s jacket. “I’m sorry about knocking you out. I didn’t realise who you were. BB-8….” She ran out of words as she gave him an apologetic smile.

“No worries.” Finn laughed, quickly putting her at ease. “It was just a misunderstanding.”

Rey smiled back at him, relieved that there were no hard feelings. “I’m sure the jacket is lying around somewhere.” She paused, worried that the medical droids might have shredded that too.

“It wasn’t even mine. It was Poe’s.” Finn shrugged like it was no big deal as he stood up and offered Rey his seat. She declined, but he insisted, citing that he really needed to go and find his friend. “I better go and let you two to catch up. Nice to meet you, Rey.” He said politely before taking his leave.

“He’s nice.” Rey said to Rose as she sat down in the newly vacated chair.

Rose flushed slightly. “He is.” She let out a dreamy sigh. “He stayed with me while I was unconscious. When I asked him why, he said he knew how scary it can be waking up alone in a place you don’t know. Wasn’t that so sweet of him?” She didn’t seem to expect a verbal response, so Rey settled back in her seat and relaxed as Rose continued to gush about Finn.

* * *

Kylo’s black hair had become one with his face as he stepped back into the shelter of the base. It draped wetly over his handsome features. His expression was serious, his mood contemplative. BB-8 rolled in after him, his dome head covered in sparkling water droplets. Suddenly the little droid let out a pitiful whine as a puff of steam hissed out of one the panels on his round body. Kylo halted, staring down at BB-8 in surprise. BB-8 tried to roll forward, but more steam escaped, followed by a shower of sparks. He stopped abruptly, his dome head drooping miserably.

“What have you done to yourself?” Kylo asked as he hunkered down and carefully jimmied open the offending panel with his long fingers. A heap of blackened wiring fell out. “How long have you been like this?”

BB-8 whistled and beeped in his binary language, finally admitting he had been damaged after the attack on the First order ship. “I didn’t want to make a fuss.” He said.

Kylo shook his head in disbelief. He had never known a droid like it. Well that wasn’t quite true-Skywalker’s astromech-R2 had similar traits. “Let’s see if we can sort out this mess and make you feel better, shall we.” He murmured as he began to tinker with the wiring, pulling it apart so he could reach the circuity underneath. Soon, he was completely absorbed in his task, having sourced a tool kit from the closest X-wing. BB-8 trustingly waited for him to fix the problem, having complete faith that he could.

Kylo was happily tinkering away when a shadow fell across him. He raised his head to find Poe Dameron glaring down at him. “What the hell are you doing with my droid?” He demanded.

Kylo showed no emotion as he shoved the new wiring back into place and closed the panel. He slowly rose to his feet, feeling pleased when Dameron was forced to crane his neck to look up at him when he reached his full height. “I’m fixing him.” He explained coldly.

“Reprogramming him more like, so you can steal him from me. Just like you stole my ship.” Poe accused.

“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it.” Kylo continued to keep his cool, which seemed to infuriate Dameron.

“You may think you have everyone fooled. But you don’t fool me.” Poe continued derisively as he jabbed his finger at Kylo.

“Your opinion means less than nothing to me.” Kylo countered irritably.

Poe opened his mouth to issue a retort when they were interrupted by Leia’s arrival. She looked at the two men speculatively for a moment before deciding to intervene. “Stand down, Dameron.” She ordered Poe.

“General?” Poe questioned. He still hadn’t recovered from the embarrassment of his previous public dressing down by his beloved leader. “Surely you don’t condone- “

“Poe.” Leia cut in wearily, her tone softening slightly when her gaze landed on him. “Please leave us.”

Dameron was mollified by the change in tone. He nodded curtly, shooting Kylo one last death glare before calling to BB-8 to follow him. The little astromech was torn, he hesitated, his dome head swivelling back and forth as he struggled with his decision to obediently follow Poe’s command.

Kylo hated to see the faithful little droid suffering with his conflicted loyalty. He could sympathise with that feeling. “You go.” He said quietly. “I’ll be fine.”

BB-8 emitted a melancholic whine in response as his head drooped in defeat and he followed reluctantly after Poe. Kylo tensed now that he was finally left alone with Leia. He managed to keep his expression neutral as he regarded her impassively. “Mother.” He greeted her formally.

Leia sighed heavily as she took a few steps closer to him. Like Poe, she had to crane her neck to look up at him. A smile flashed across her face from beneath reems of hair, which were wound in neat braids around the back of her head. Even though it was gone quickly, it was still there. She dipped her head down and casting her eyes to the side, Kylo could see the shape of her face like a silhouette. It gracefully moved up and over her cheek bones then slanted sharply at her mouth. Even after all this time she couldn’t look him in the eyes. Bitter disappointment flooded through him, but he contained it behind a stoic exterior.

“I’ve been meaning to come and talk to you…” Leia began, before pausing.

“About?” Kylo prompted her.

“Don’t be difficult, Ben.”

Kylo fixed his gaze at a point above her head. “How am I being difficult?” He said tonelessly. “Just say what you need to say.”

Each of Leia’s shoulders curled in, towards her chest. She was like a statue at this time, drilled down with a sense of being completely exposed, on display. Each of her fingers were laced together with one another, holding herself together against the heavy burdens that weighed her down. She took a deep breath and finally looked at him. Her sorrowful eyes collected and bore tragically every wrongdoing that had passed between them. “Why did you do it?”

Kylo’s dark eyes flashed to hers. “Do what?”

“How could you betray Luke like that!” Leia cried passionately, the dam on her emotions finally breaking. “Why?”

Her accusation stabbed Kylo right in the heart. He concealed his pain behind a bitter smile. “You never fail to disappoint, mother.” He stated coldly. “Of course, your precious Skywalker is all you’re concerned about. He can do no wrong. He’s a Jedi.” 

“Ben!”

“I don’t think we have anything left to say to each other, mother.” Kylo continued in the same cool tone. He wasn’t going to show any emotion in front of her, he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. His dignity was all he had left. With a curt nod in her direction, he turned his back on her and walked away.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	22. The Painful Truth

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Two-The Painful Truth **

When the anger boiled up, he had to unleash it. There was too much going on in his brain and body for him to handle. All the pent-up rage that he had held inside after his tense confrontation with his mother came out faster than magma and just as destructive. It consumed all that he was and the target of his wrath this time was an inanimate rock. Kylo had left the base, fuming like a thunder cloud, seeking a safe place, far from any prying eyes, where he could just completely let go. Fiery red sparks flew around him as he hacked and chopped at the large mass of stone with his flaming saber.

“What did the rock ever do to you?” Han’s voice coming from behind made him spin around in surprise. He had been so consumed by the red mist that it had allowed his father and Chewie to sneak up on him unawares.

Looking as if he had just been caught in a sudden storm, with his thick black hair lying like a second skin across his cheeks, Kylo switched off his saber and glared sternly at his father. His heart was heavy and there was a rising feeling of nausea in his stomach. It never ceased to amaze him that the muscles that were working so hard only seconds ago now struggled to hold his weight now his anger had drained away.

“What’s going on, Ben?” Han asked cautiously when his earlier remark didn’t elicit the desired response.

The sweat was a dark and growing map down the front of Kylo’s black undershirt. He ran his fingers vigorously threw his hair, pushing the wet strands back from his face. “I’m just working out.” He muttered. “No big deal.”

Han put his hands on his hips. “Ben, I thought we were past this.” He paused, exchanging a worried glance with Chewie. “I take it your little talk with the kid didn’t go so well.”

Kylo huffed out a frustrated sigh. “This has nothing to do with Rey.”

“Then what?” Han pressed. “You can tell me. I’m not going to judge.”

“Just leave it. It doesn’t matter.” Kylo knew his father was trying his best, but he really didn’t feel in the mood to confide in him about his latest disappointing interaction with his mother. He had been a fool to cling to the false hope that she might actually show she cared. His relationship with Han might have turned a corner, but the one with Leia remained as strained as ever. There was too much estrangement between them. Her commitment to the galaxy would always come first.

Han turned to his best friend-the Wookie with a life debt, who loved him. Yes, life debt or not Chewie was always at his side when he needed him. Call it Karma, call it insanity, call it a blessing from the tree gods, but he always had him to rely on when things in his life went south. Sometimes they only talked to make other people comfortable, they knew each other too well to need words. They didn’t need words now. Chewie let out a faint whine as he lumbered away, giving father and son the privacy, they needed.

“You saw your mother.” Han guessed when the Wookie was out of sight. “What did she say?”

“To me?” Kylo offered up bitterly. “Nothing. It was all about Skywalker.”

Han’s face froze. His mouth was slightly turned down, his eyebrows were curved downwards too; he looked like he was ready to explode. “Did you explain?”

“Like she would even believe me. She wants nothing to tarnish her perfect image of Skywalker.” Kylo continued resentfully.

“I see.” Han locked his serious gaze on his son. “Let your old man deal with this.”

“I don’t need you defending me.” Kylo retorted.

“You’re wrong. That’s exactly what you need.” Han countered. “Stay here.”

“No.”

“Then go and wait for me on the Falcon.”

“No.”

“Ben!” Han exploded in frustration. “Just do as you’re told.” Kylo was about to refuse again when Han’s next words changed his mind. “Before I came here, I’m sure I saw the kid heading in the direction of the Falcon.”

“Rey? Why would she be going to the Falcon?” Kylo asked suspiciously.

“I have no idea, but she was carrying a huge bag.” Han shrugged nonchalantly.

Kylo’s heart began pounding so hard against his ribcage as his pulse pressed outward, jerking the veins within. Why was she carrying a packed bag? Was she planning on leaving? “I’ll wait for you on the Falcon.” He called over his shoulder to Han as he ran off without waiting for a further explanation.

“I thought you might.” Han refrained from rolling his eyes as he watched him go.

* * *

Rey smiled in relief as she picked up her quarterstaff and felt the familiar weight in her hands. She had left it behind on the Falcon after all. She thought it was gone forever. The weapon was like a part of her and she felt lost without it. She twirled the staff gracefully in her hands, before reversing the grip and taking a defensive stance. Smiling slightly, she stepped back and took another few practise swings against an imaginary opponent. Gods, it felt good! Rey spun around again, twirling the staff in a graceful arc, before jabbing it forward, only to let out a startled cry when she found it pointing directly at Kylo’s abdomen. He seemed to have come out of nowhere.

“What are you doing here?” She questioned, feeling flustered at his unexpected appearance.

“What are _you_ doing?” Kylo turned the question around on her. He was drawing in great puffs of air as if he had just finished running a long race. His cheeks were flushed, his chest rising and falling with each expelled breath.

“What happened to waiting until I came to talk to you?” Rey retorted sharply.

“I was waiting, until Han said he saw you heading this way with a packed bag. Are you leaving?” Kylo’s accusing gaze landed on the bulging bag that lay at her feet.

“No.”

“Then what’s in the bag?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Rey, tell me the truth.” Kylo pleaded as she glared at him defensively. He bent down to retrieve the bag.

A flicker of panic registered in Rey’s hazel eyes when she saw him reaching for the bag. She tried to snatch it out of his grasp, but it was impossible. They engaged in a tug of war, but the strain on the hessian bag soon proved too much. It split and several food parcels spilled onto the metal flooring, followed by a sealed cannister of water and basic medical supplies.

“Oh, Rey, I’m so sorry.” Kylo turned to face her, his voice thick with remorse as realisation dawned. She was hoarding food and water. She was following what she had been taught on Jakku-living her whole life in a state of near starvation- scavenging vital supplies in readiness for the next catastrophe was like second nature for her.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Rey’s cheeks were burning with shame.

“Like what?”

“Like you pity me!”

“That’s not what I’m doing. I understand, Rey.” Kylo put his hand softly on her thin shoulder as a token of his sympathy, but Rey shrugged him off.

“You have no idea what its like. So, don’t say you understand, because you don’t.” Rey cried bleakly, her eyes were huge and glassy with tears. “Living on Jakku, how to stop hunger was the number one obsession. I saw things I can't scrub from my mind. People ate stuff that wasn't food, not caring if it killed them, only that it ended the gnawing pain. When I'm hungry, I can't think of anything but food. I hoard as much as I can because it can mean the difference between life and death.”

“And yet, even though it meant starving yourself, you still chose to share what meagre portions you had with a complete stranger.” Kylo reminded Rey gently as he hunkered down and began to gather up the food parcels. He placed them back in the torn hessian bag and passed them back to Rey. “I could never pity you, Rey. You’re the strongest person I know. So much stronger than I could ever hope to be. You chose to show compassion and kindness to an undeserving ass like me, and I just hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for screwing up so badly.”

Touched by his sincere apology, Rey clutched the bag of food to her chest and nodded slowly. “On one condition.” She said carefully.

“Anything.” Kylo begged.

“You make lunch.” Rey answered with a small smile as she threw the bag back at him.

* * *

The Raddus, formerly known as the Dawn of Tranquility, was an MC85 Star Cruiser that served as the flagship of General Leia Organa. It was used by the Resistance during its war against the First Order. It was one of the last ships built before the signing of the Military Disarmament Act by the Galactic Empire and New Republic. The vessel gained the moniker Raddus upon its entry into the service of the Resistance, when Admiral Gial Ackbar petitioned to rename it in honour of the famed Admiral Raddus, who had died in service of the Alliance at the Battle of Scarif after defying the Rebel Alliance's political leaders and choosing to fight against seemingly insurmountable odds.

The primary command bridge was located at the bow of the ship, and this was where Han found Leia now. She had just finished chairing a meeting with the other senior Resistance officers about the emergency evacuation of the fleet from D’Qar. As soon as she laid eyes on her errant husband, she immediately began to make herself busy looking at some star charts.

“Now isn’t such a good time.” She said with her back to him.

Han’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile. “If I had a credit for every time you said that to me throughout our marriage, I would be a rich man.”

Leia threw him an irritated glance over her shoulder. “You would only have gambled them away.”

Her pointed rejoinder touched a raw nerve with Han. His smile faded and his brows drew down into a frown. “Leia, we need to talk about Ben.”

“I did what you asked. I spoke to him.” Leia kept her back to Han as she helped herself to some Caf’ from a pot in the middle of the conference table.

“From what Ben tells me, you spoke, but didn’t listen.” Han continued gruffly.

“I tried, Han. He was the one who chose to cut the conversation short. I don’t know what you expect me to do.” Leia’s fingers trembled slightly as she closed them around the warm cup of Caf’ and lifted it to her lips.

“I expect you to act like his mother and show some compassion.” Han’s voice rose as his impatience at her lack of engagement began to get under his skin. She was doing her usual avoidance tactic by refusing to face him directly.

“Compassion!” Leia snapped. She drained the last of the Caf’ and clasped her hands together to stop them shaking. “Where was his compassion when he turned against Luke and destroyed everything he had built!”

Han scowled, his anger bubbling over at her continued defence of her brother. “Luke is a coward!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him.

Leia breathed as if no air would ever be enough, as if she were a drowning victim suddenly brought up from the depths. She shook her head in denial as she avoided looking directly at Han. “Why are you saying these things? It was Ben’s actions that drove Luke into exile.”

Han let go of her shoulders and took a step back, his eyes turning desolate as he delivered the killer blow. “Open your eyes. The real reason Luke exiled himself was because he tried to murder our son, Leia. He tried to kill Ben in his sleep.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	23. The Loyalty of a Droid

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Three-A Droid’s Loyalty **

“Are you ready for the next one?” Kylo fought a smile when he saw Rey trying to take a peek at his next offering. “Stop cheating!” He laughed.

“Fine!” Rey snapped her eyes shut again as she held out her hand, palm upward, in front of her. “This better not be one of those doughy portion bread things again. I ate enough of those things on Jakku. You’re supposed to be trying to impress me.”

“You’re the one who stole the food from the kitchens.” Kylo reminded her.

“Not stole. Scavenged.”

“I stand corrected. Scavenged then.”

“I just took what was familiar.” Rey continued as she tried to discreetly peek through her thick lashes at what he was going to place in her hands next. She had to admit she was enjoying the game of ‘guess the food.’ Kylo said he was trying to improve her palate, but she knew he was getting a kick out of her reaction every time she tried something new.

“Keep your eyes closed.” Kylo warned her again when he noticed her eyes were partially open.

“Okay.” Rey huffed as she fidgeted slightly to get more comfortable. They were still on the Falcon, kneeling across from each other. She startled slightly when she felt Kylo drop something into her opened palm. Her fingers closed around the object- it was cool to the touch, smooth, shaped like a sphere. “What is it?” She asked curiously.

“Fruit.” Kylo gently guided her hand toward her mouth. His gaze became fixated on her lips. Her lips were a pale pink that reminded him of a rose bud. The top lip was thinner, but not too thin, and it had a natural cupid's bow; the bottom one was larger and plusher. He couldn’t stop staring. “Try it.” He urged, his voice husky.

The fruit was wet and crisp as Rey bit into it, it broke between her teeth with a soft crunch. The lingering sound drifted around her ears, filling her heart with pleasure. Icy sweetness filled her mouth and for a moment, all fell still, as if a wave of content had drifted past and frozen the world solid. She kept on chewing, biting until it was all gone. Then she opened her eyes and blushed a deep red when she found Kylo staring dazedly at her mouth.

“What?” She said defensively. Did she have something on her chin? She wiped it with the back of her hand, just in case.

Kylo blinked rapidly, as if he had just awoken from a daydream. “What?” He said back to her.

Rey felt completely bewildered by his weird reaction. He seemed to have zoned out completely. “You said it was some kind of fruit?” She prompted him.

“Yes.”

“And?”

“What?”

“What fruit was it?” Rey exclaimed irritably.

“Oh…it was just an apple.” Kylo mumbled.

_Just an apple_!

He didn’t think he would look at an apple the same way again, not without imagining Rey’s divine lips wrapped around it. He felt his cheeks growing warm as he chased that thought from his mind. Kylo was grateful that Rey couldn’t see the thoughts rolling around his head right now, then panicked when he remembered their growing bond. His dark eyes darted to hers nervously. Gods, he hadn’t let that thought slip out had he? He studied her face in an attempt to read her reaction. This bond was so new, so mysterious-there were so many elements to it that hadn’t been explored yet. They had already managed to communicate telepathically-how far could it go?

“Ben, are you feeling okay?” Rey leaned forward; her hazel eyes clouded with worry. “You look a bit peaky. Maybe you should eat something. That apple was delicious.” Her mouth watered as she spoke. “I think there may be one more. We can share it.”

“No.” Kylo responded in a strangled tone.

“Why not? Don’t you like apples?” Rey sounded genuinely confused.

“No.” Kylo shook his head. “You have it.”

“If you’re sure.” Rey leaned across Kylo, her fingers eagerly reaching for the ripe fruit. She smiled as she raised the apple to her lips, the precious dimples on her cheeks making his heart skip a beat.

As he watched Rey bite into the apple, the juicy sweetness spilled down the corners of her mouth. Her eyes closed and she let out of soft moan of ecstasy at the sublime taste. Kylo felt his body react and he was forced to turn away from the intoxicating sight in front of him.

The scavenger girl was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it.

* * *

The warmth from Leia’s body abandoned her as a deep chill rippled down her spine. She turned her back on Han as she fought to maintain her composure. She reached for the pot of Caf’ but her fingers were jumping rhythmically, as if in spasm and she was forced to pull her hand back. Then to her mortification her legs gently folded under her as the shock of Han’s words set in. She subsided slowly into one of the empty chairs, ungainly as a marionette.

“Sweetheart.” Han’s tone was gentle as he looked down at her. “I shouldn’t have said it like that, but you needed to know.”

It took Leia a few minutes to form words. “Ben told you Luke attacked him?”

Han’s guard was up as soon as she spoke. Her tone was so cynical that he could already tell where this was going. “You don’t believe him.” He said in disgust.

“I didn’t say that.” Leia defended herself. “I just question his version of events.”

Words failed Han as he met his wife’s disbelieving gaze, and his heart fell silent. His eyes desperately searched hers… waiting…hoping…. but all he saw was the steadfast belief on her face that her twin would never do such a wicked thing. Han knew he had to say something! He searched his mind for something reasonable to say, something that might possibly convince her, but to his surprise his heart answered for him. “I love you, Leia.” He said grimly. “But I have never been so disappointed by you in my life. This is our son.”

“I know that!” Leia fired back at him. “Believe me I would love to share your unwavering faith in him, but after everything he’s done….”

“Dammit, Leia!” Han exclaimed loudly as he raised his forefinger at her, his whole-body tensing. “He said you wouldn’t believe him and he was right.”

“Han…” Leia whispered.

“He was also right when he said you didn’t want anything to tarnish your perfect image of Luke. You don’t want to accept that he can be just as fallible and human as the rest of us. Luke is not some Jedi god, sweetheart.”

“That’s a low blow, Han.” Leia argued. “I’ve never thought of Luke as infallible, but I also don’t believe he would ever consider hurting our son. It doesn’t make sense…there’s more to this that we don’t understand. Ben must have…”

“So, our son is to blame for his own uncle trying to kill him. When did you become so callous and detached? You weren’t there when Ben told me what happened- “Han rubbed a hand over his face at the memory.

“Han, he burned down the temple. He killed the other students.” Leia used the opportunity to cut in. She stood up, drawing in a quavering breath as she faced her angry husband. Leia cast her mind back to the painful memories of her past, to the feelings of unease and disquiet when she was carrying Ben in her womb. Even then she had been able to sense her unborn son through the Force. She likened his presence to a pulsing living band of light. Sometimes that light dimmed, and other times it was thrust through a vein of darkness. It had frightened her, though when she mentioned it to Han, he had been dismissive, just like he was dismissive of anything to do with the Force. “I felt the darkness even before he was born.”

Han stared at her bleakly. “Is that why you couldn’t love him properly? You convinced yourself right from the off he was going to fall. He never really stood a chance- “

“That’s not true! I love him. I have always loved him.”

“But you still shipped him off to Luke when he didn’t want to go.”

“You agreed it was the best thing for him!”

“You barely consulted me. The decision was already made.” Han yelled at her as they revisited the same old, circular arguments from the past.

“You were never there to consult, even if I wanted to. You accuse me of not being there for Ben, but, where were you?”

“I felt pushed out. I didn’t know anything about the Force…not like you and saint Luke.”

“So, you’re blaming me for your own insecurities?” Leia snapped.

“No, I’m blaming you for making me feel like I was never good enough, no matter what I did. You didn’t want a scoundrel for a husband, sweetheart, you wanted a damn politician.”

His harsh jibe silenced Leia. She sat back down, her hands shaking as she reached for the pot of Caf.’ She used her left hand to steady her right as she poured the lukewarm liquid into a cup.

Han’s brief flare of temper faded, leaving him feeling deflated. He hated hurting Leia. This was not how he had envisioned this conversation going. It had descended into another one of their slanging matches, with Ben at the centre of it, like always. “He didn’t do it, you know.”

“Do what?” Leia raised the cup to her lips, letting the warm Caf’ sooth her dry throat.

“He wasn’t responsible for the temple burning down. And he tried to save the other students. He didn’t kill them.” Han continued wearily as he settled down into a vacant seat opposite Leia.

“I know you want to believe he’s telling the truth, Han. I want to believe him, too. I just…” Leia sighed as she curled her fingers around the base of her cup.

“Just what?”

“I can’t believe Luke would do that. It doesn’t make any sense. I won’t be convinced until I hear it from Luke himself.”

“Well Luke’s not here, is he!” Han replied sourly. “That shows me he has something to hide, unlike our son, who is right here. You’ve expended so much effort on trying to find Luke, but its his choice to stay away. If he really gave a crap about your damn cause, he’d be right here, fighting right alongside you. But instead he remains in exile like a coward. Instead Ben was the one who came back and helped you destroy that superweapon.”

“For selfish reasons of his own.” Leia retorted. “He was focused on saving the girl and nothing else.”

“And how were you any different when you forced him to bargain for your help just so you could get what you wanted.” Han countered bitterly. He shook his head in defeat. “I’m wasting my time here. Unless we can drag Luke back here kicking and screaming to admit what he’s done, you’re never going to be convinced, are you?”

Leia’s face flushed as she locked eyes with him.

Outside the bridge, they didn’t see BB-8 hidden in the shadows. The little droid had overheard everything. In distress, BB-8 rolled away from the bridge, he caught sight of Poe in the distance, impatiently looking for him. The conflicted little astromech avoided his master and shot down the opposite corridor to the one Poe was walking down. He wandered about the ship, his dome head drooping with worry. He wanted to make everything right, but he didn’t know the best way to go about it. He kept replaying the recorded conversation between Han and Leia over and over to himself as he searched for some clue on the best way to help Ben Solo prove he was telling the truth, and it was Han’s last words to Leia that proved the impetus for the decision he made next.

_“Unless we can drag Luke back here kicking and screaming to admit what he’s done, you’re never going to be convinced, are you?”_

BB-8 still held a section of the transgalactic navigational chart that showed the location of Skywalker. He just needed the rest to complete it and they would be able to find Luke and bring him back. BB-8 had a good idea of who might hold the rest of the chart. The little droid’s orange and white body blurred as he took off at high speed to track down R2.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	24. First Lesson

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Four-First Lesson **

Rey gathered up the rest of the food and stored it away on the Falcon. She had never been so full-her hunger had been totally sated-but she was now feeling guilty because she had overindulged. She knew she was being ridiculous, but couldn’t shake the feeling that she had done something wrong. Up to that point she had been enjoying herself, but now remorse was kicking in, her mood plummeted. Kylo felt her change in mood, even if he wasn’t sure he understood it. He remained silent while she packed everything away, watching her thoughtfully as she carefully wrapped up the remaining food and placed it back in the bag.

Afterwards Rey curled up in the co-pilots seat and looked miserably out through the viewscreen at the lush vegetation that covered D’Qar’s surface. Even this picturesque scene couldn’t lift her mood. She remembered Ben teasing her about stealing the food and she had corrected him by saying ‘scavenged’ and not ‘stolen.’ Even though his comment had been in jest, he had been right, she had stolen the food. These were essential rations to the Resistance and she had snuck in and taken them without permission, and worse than that, she had wasted the precious food in a childish blind taste game. Rey felt totally ashamed of herself.

Kylo, sensing her need for privacy, waited a while before he joined her in the cockpit. He settled his long body in the pilot’s seat next to her and sighed when she turned her head away so he couldn’t see her face. He was so attuned to her now, that he could feel regret washing over him through their bond like the long slow waves on a shallow beach. How she longed to go back and take a different path, but now that was impossible. There was no way back. There was no way to make it right. The remorse would eat at her everyday of her life. She would never shake it. The memory of her years of hunger and near starvation would haunt her forever as well as the residual guilt of giving into her own desire to satiate it.

_“Rey.”_

The way his voice wrapped around her name like a warm blanket made her turn toward him despite her deep feelings of shame. It was only when she saw the empathetic look on his face, that she realised he hadn’t actually spoken her name aloud, but instead had spoken to her telepathically inside her mind.

Curiosity piqued, Rey decided to try and respond to him in the same way. She pushed her regret away, tired of thinking about it, no amount of analysis was going to turn back the clock. She tentatively said his name in her head and stared at him intently, waiting out his reaction. “ _Ben._ ”

_“Yes?”_ His response was immediate and took her breath away.

_“What is this connection between us?”_

_“It’s the Force connecting us.”_

_“Why?”_

_“I don’t know.”_

Rey focused on Kylo’s face, her curiosity building, her need to explore this strange phenomenon overriding her original fear. “ _You said you would teach me how to use the Force.”_

_“I meant it.”_ Kylo replied fervently. He felt like he was standing in the edge of a high precipice waiting to fall.

_“Like a master?”_ Rey asked cautiously.

Kylo frowned at her question, shaking his head slightly. “ _No”_ He said _. “As an equal_.”

That wasn’t the answer she was expecting. Rey gazed deeply into his eyes, searching for any sign of duplicity, but could find none. Rey realised he actually meant what he said. He was being completely sincere. The fact that he saw her as an equal blew her mind. No one had ever regarded her that way before-her whole life she had been delegated as a nobody, a worthless scavenger-but here was this man, this dark prince with the supposedly fearsome reputation, claiming her as his equal.

_“Okay._ ” Rey finally agreed. “ _I’m in.”_

* * *

Despite Kylo’s promise to Han that he would wait for him on the Falcon, he was so eager to begin Rey’s first lesson, that like an over excitable little boy, he had convinced her to ‘borrow’ a pair of the Resistance’s speeder bikes to find a more isolated location where there was less chance of being disturbed. All speeder bikes were capable of high-speed travel and required skill and fast reflexes to steer. Rey, already a skilled rider, after building and maintaining her own version on Jakku, easily outpaced Kylo as they engaged in a playful race through D’Qar’s lush jungle terrain.

The wind whipped through Rey’s brunette hair, liberated from its usual three bun style, it spiralled around her face in shiny waves. She wasn’t used to wearing it loose and it somehow made her feel more carefree, as if she had broken the tight bonds with her past on Jakku. She glanced behind her to find Kylo hot on her tail. A sly smile lit up her face as she put her foot on the pedal, increasing speed in an attempt to outrun him.

Rey continued to swerve through the trees, she couldn’t move without some type of plant touching her skin. There was so much green and she loved it. Everything she loved about this rainforest was elevating her heart rate and killing her logical thinking capacity. The sheer denseness of the foliage made her feel cozied, like in all this space she could still be snug. The thousands of noises made by the flora and fauna was as refreshing as any waterfall, overriding all her senses. Rey was so focused in drinking in everything around her that she forgot to check the path ahead. An overhanging branch became an obstacle in her path. She managed to dodge it, but the extra momentum from her increased speed sent the speeder bike swerving out of control. Rey lost her balance, landing heavily on her butt in the dense foliage with the sound of Kylo’s amused laughter ringing in her ears.

* * *

“One thing you must learn if you want to use the Force properly is to never lose concentration.” Kylo teased as he held out his hand to help her up.

Rey gave him a sour look as she ignored his proffered hand and pushed herself back onto her feet. She brushed the dirt off her clothes irritably, feeling embarrassed that her overconfidence had been the result of her downfall. “It was just a slight lapse, that’s all.”

“You were showing off and it backfired.” Kylo pointed out reasonably.

“I was not!” Rey refuted hotly. “I am the better rider.”

“Yet you were the one who fell off.” Kylo gave her a mocking smile and she glared up at him, feeling annoyed that she had to crane her neck to look up at him. He was ridiculously tall and well built, the result of a strict exercise regime. For someone so big, he had jumped off the back of his speeder so gracefully, that she was beginning to wonder if he hadn’t tapped into the mysterious Force to assist him into floating so elegantly to the ground.

“Are we doing this or not?” She muttered resentfully.

Kylo’s expression turned serious. He could feel her resentment coming at him in waves. “You are the better rider. I was just teasing. I’m sorry if it upset you.” His honest eyes bored into Rey’s as if trying to convince her he wasn’t lying. A stab of guilt bit into her stomach, she knew she was overreacting. She didn’t know why she was having so much trouble accepting it was all just light hearted banter. She gave him a resigned smile and he returned it. “Ready for your first lesson?” He asked.

“Yes.” Rey nodded, reaching for the lightsaber attached to her belt.

“We’re not using those today.” Kylo told her. Instead he dropped to the ground, curling his legs underneath him. He patted the spot opposite him. “Sit here.”

“We’re not?” Bewildered, Rey knelt down and looked at him curiously. She was even more confused when he directed her to place her hands on the soft earth in front of her.

“Now close your eyes.” Kylo urged her softly. Rey looked at him oddly before her eyes slowly fluttered closed. "What do you know about the Force?”

Rey huffed in frustration and opened her eyes again, raising her hands. "It's a power that Jedi have that lets them control people and make things float." She answered sarcastically.

“Every word in that sentence was wrong. But you knew that already.” Kylo gave Rey such a stern look that she felt her cheeks grow warm in embarrassment. “The Force is not a power you have. It's the energy between all things, a tension, a balance, that binds the universe together." He grabbed her hand and pushed it back to the ground. “Now close your eyes and breathe.”

Chastened, Rey pressed her fingers back into the earth and inhaled deeply-once, twice, three times. She felt a calmness wash over her and the tension oozed out of her body.

“Now reach out with your feelings.” Kylo’s sultry voice was hypnotic as he spoke, drawing Rey further under his spell. “What do you see?”

Rey’s brow furrowed as she concentrated hard. A series of confusing images began to form in her mind, some she recognised, some she did not, until they all blurred and merged into one. “I see you. I see me.”

The sound of lyrical birdsong filled her ears, she could feel the soft earth wrapped around her questing fingers as she dug them deeper into the lush soil. “Earth. Death and decay…that feeds new life.” The humidity coming from the rainforest made perspiration break out on her skin. “Warmth.” She whispered in awe, until a cold shiver ran down her spine. “Cold.” Rey shuddered, the perspiration on her brow suddenly freezing like ice. Then the chill receded and her face relaxed. “Peace.” Then a heartbeat later. “Violence.” She shuddered again, her heart racing along with her fear.

“And between it all?” Kylo coaxed her gently.

“Balance…. energy.” Rey murmured, her frown deepening. “A Force.”

“And inside you?”

“Inside me…. that same Force.”

Rey’s elation at feeling the awakening energy inside her, soon turned to terror as her world was suddenly plunged into night. “There’s something else…”

Her fingers clawed at the earth as she tried to wrench her eyes open, but they remained glued shut. She was losing control of the Force, it became chaotic, the darkness thrumming through her veins like poison. The darkness kissed her skin closer than a mother and whispered excitement into her ears, urging her to give into its gentle, loving caress.

“A place. A dark place. It’s cold.”

“Rey…. Rey…” Kylo’s voice seemed to echo and fade in her ears as she tried to resist the call and fight her own spiralling emotions. It was like she was falling into a dark abyss of her own making. Her panicked screams rang loud in her ears as she tumbled into the dark void.

“Resist it, Rey. Focus on my voice.” Rey felt Kylo’s warm hands cradling her face. She let out a frightened whimper as she did as he bid her and latched onto the soothing sound of his voice as he coaxed her back from the edge. Rey stopped spiralling and she found the energy to open her eyes to find Kylo’s handsome face suspended just above hers. His dark brown eyes were glistening with suppressed emotion as he let go of her and sat back on his haunches.

“Ben.” Rey whispered tremulously. She had never felt darkness like that before, not the kind that that robs you of your best sense and replaces it with a paralysing fear. She sat, shaking badly, muscles cramped and unable to move. “What was that?”

“Its what I feel every single waking hour of my life.” Kylo replied bitterly. The darkness surrounded everything. It ate up everything in its path. It did not give any mercy as it attempted to destroy him all over again. Rey had just experienced a small part of it in her quest to understand the Force. He never wanted her to go through that again. “The lesson is over for today.” He said abruptly as he pushed himself back onto his feet and walked away in the direction of their speeders, effectively putting an end to their conversation.

* * *

BB-8 examined the dust sheet covering R2D2 for a moment. He had nearly missed Skywalker’s astromech hidden in a darkened corner of the base. When Luke had gone into lonely exile, he had left his faithful droid behind. Heartbroken at his master’s abandonment, R2 had powered down, essentially cutting himself off from his surroundings. Even his old friend C-3PO couldn’t get him to reverse his decision. Instead, he had become nothing but an ornament to Skywalker’s failure, gathering dust as the months turned into years and Luke never came back to claim him.

A small pincer like tool shot out from BB-8’s round base. He used it to grab the end of the dust sheet in a claw like grip, before yanking the sheet backwards, sending thousands of dust motes flying in the air. BB-8 discarded the sheet and rolled forward, letting out a series of curious beeps as he examined R2’s statue like figure. The little astromech waited hopefully for a response, but when nothing was forthcoming from R2, he grew impatient and knocked into R2’s base over and over in an attempt to wake him up.

Still nothing!

With growing frustration, BB-8 rolled backward, his dome head doffed at a curious angle as he let out a high-pitched whistle, expressing his disgust with the older droid, essentially calling him a coward. Even this didn’t elicit any response, so BB-8 decided he was going to have to wake R2 up the hard way. With another series of what could be termed as expletives in his binary language, another tool shot out from BB-8’s base. This one was much more sharp and wicked looking. With one forceful jab he shoved the pointed end in R2’s circuitry, giving him an electrical shock.

There was a faint shudder from R2. BB-8 whistled loudly again, trying to gain the bigger droid’s attention, but after another few parsecs, R2 remained stubbornly mute. BB-8 shoved the tool into R2’s circuitry again, giving him the benefit of another huge electrical surge. Suddenly R2 jolted back to life, blue electrical flashes sparking off his outer casing. Satisfied that his job was done, BB-8 commanded R2’s attention, eliciting a high intensity of beeps and bell like whistles as he pleaded with him to help.

* * *

The estranged husband and wife were still fighting, when BB-8 and R2’s unexpected interruption broke through their deadlock. Leia was rendered breathless at the sight of her brother’s faithful astromech suddenly coming back to life after years of hibernation. It took a while for her to make sense of the garbled beeps and whistles coming from Dameron’s jittery little orange and white droid as BB-8 tried to make himself heard above Han’s gruff complaints at the unwanted intrusion.

“What’s it saying?” Han demanded impatiently.

“Map.” Leia murmured as she tried to sort through BB-8’s babble. “R2?” She questioned breathlessly as she gently pushed BB-8 to one side and focused all her attention on R2D2 instead. “Is it true what he’s saying?” She pleaded, referring to BB-8. “You hold the rest of the map.”

R2 let out a low whistle, which sounded rather like a human’s weary sigh. He slid backwards and tilted his holographic projector upwards. Suddenly the bridge was lit up with a holographic star chart, with one vital piece missing. R2 had searched his records after listening to BB-8’s pleas for help. He found he had previously downloaded the map while upon the first Death Star.

BB-8 used his own holographic projector to add the missing piece to the main star chart. Leia stared up at the glowing map revolving above her head with tears in her eyes. The tension that had been building up inside her since Han’s horrifying revelation about her twin’s alleged attack on their son, drained away and relief took over.

“This is where Luke is, Han.” She said breathlessly as she turned her beseeching gaze on her husband. “We’ve found him!”

“Great.” Han sneered. “Maybe the coward can finally grow the balls to explain why he tried to murder our son.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! I’m not sure that last statement from Han is very Han-like??!!!? But he is angry, so…. sighs. Please review._ **


	25. The Princess and the Scavenger Girl

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Five-The Princess and the Scavenger Girl **

“And where have you been? You were supposed to be waiting for me here.” Han demanded.

Kylo wasn’t expecting a ticking off from his father when he and Rey eventually returned to the Falcon. Arguing felt pointless so he just gave a nonchalant shrug-a gesture very reminiscent of Han if he stopped to think about it for a minute. “I had somewhere to be.” He said by way of an explanation.

Han scowled as he glared at his son. “There’s been some developments.” He said gruffly.

Before Kylo could respond, Rey took the opportunity to make herself scarce. After the eventful morning she had just had, she really didn’t want to get in the middle of a father/son confrontation. “I’ll leave you to it.” She said a low voice to Kylo.

“Where are you going?” Kylo ignored his father’s impatient sigh as he turned his attention to Rey. He tried to keep his hammering heart under control as he looked at her, suddenly anxious that the abrupt way he had ended their first lesson might have put her off from engaging with him anymore. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Rey sensed his anxiety and tried to make her tone soothing. She could tell he was still tormented about what had happened at the end of the lesson. His sad admission that he was constantly plagued by the dark side was upsetting. She had only endured it for a few minutes, when the blackness engulfed her thoughts, stretching out in front of her like a map, the unknown robbing her of all sense of self, while it tried to seduce her with whispered words of power.

“Rey, we need to talk about what happened.” Kylo seemed to forget about his father’s presence as he drew closer to her.

He was so handsome, from the depth of his eyes, to the gentle expressions of his voice. Rey felt like she was drowning in those eyes, the way he looked at her like she was some precious thing, took her breath away. Some space was definitely needed, she decided. “We can talk later. Right now, you need to talk to your dad. While you’re doing that, I’m going to check in with Rose.”

Kylo nodded reluctantly. “Fine. I’ll come find you after I’m done here.”

“Bye.” Rey blessed him with a small smile, before waving goodbye to Han.

Han nodded at her. “See you later, kid.”

Kylo waited until Rey was out of sight, knowing he couldn’t put off the inevitable anymore. He really didn’t want to hear what Han had to say, he knew it was something to do with his mother. He could just imagine how Han’s confrontation with Leia had gone down. About as well as his own by the frustrated look on the older man’s face. “I told you it was a waste of time.” He said before his father had a chance to say anything.

Han couldn’t deny the truth of his words. He placed his hands on his hips and stared at his son bleakly. “She just needs a bit more convincing. But like I said…there’s been some developments.”

“What developments?” Kylo asked suspiciously.

Han hesitated a beat as he considered his words carefully. “That droid of yours…” He began.

Kylo frowned. “If you mean BB-8…he’s not my droid.”

“Well someone better tell him that.” Han continued brusquely. “Anyway, he was holding a section of a navigational chart that pinpointed Luke’s location. He took it upon himself to wake up R2-who had the rest of the star chart buried in his archives all this time.” He paused when he saw his son’s face darken. “Ben, you alright?”

“Not really.” Kylo responded sarcastically. Just the mention of Skywalker brought back all his bitter and conflicted feelings towards his uncle racing to the surface.

“I guess not.” Han stroked his chin and sighed heavily. His greying stubble felt rough under his fingers as he met Kylo’s unwavering gaze. “We now know where he is. I’m going out there to confront him, Ben. Well…not just me…Chewie’s coming with me. And I think you should come, too.”

“Like hell I will. I don’t give a damn what Skywalker has to say!”

“I know you’re angry, Ben…”

“Am I angry? No. I'm bitter and that's worse. Angry is over fast, bitter lasts." Kylo snapped.

Han nodded in understanding. “I’m not going to confront Luke just for your sake, Ben.” He admitted. “I’m doing it for me.” His jaw flexed as he tried to keep his emotions under control. “Your mother needs to hear the truth from Luke, it’s the only way she’ll be convinced. She’s not listening to me.”

“He’ll only try to justify his actions with some kind of twisted logic.” Kylo’s despair was a heavy blackness. The notion of hope was meaningless, he shouldn’t have let his mind linger on such ideas, they start to feel like cruel tricks. He had been holding onto the faint hope that Leia might actually believe him- _her actual son-_ for once. But Han’s revelation had killed that hope forever. “It’s pointless. I’ve always been disposable as far as she is concerned.”

Han’s eyes tightened with pain. “You don’t really believe that, Ben. Leia loves you.”

“Her love always came with conditions. I was nothing but a set of expectations, a legacy for her. I failed to live up to all of them…. and that’s what she can never forgive.” Kylo said in defeat. “Go and confront Skywalker if it makes you feel better…but I promise you, it won’t change anything.”

* * *

Rey was lost. She huffed out a frustrated breath when she found herself in the exact same place she had started from. The Raddus seemed like a maze of endless corridors. She tried to calm her frazzled mind and think logically. If she could just ask someone for directions that would be great, but everyone was so busy dismantling the base, that she felt awkward approaching them. Just as she was about to give up and head back to the Falcon, her saviour rolled into view. As soon as BB-8 spotted her, his dome head perked up, and he greeted her with a series of excitable beeps and high whistles.

“BB-8, you don’t know how glad I am to see you.” Rey said in relief as she dropped to her knees and hugged the little astromech. BB-8 let out a high-pitched whistle of pleasure in response, before he asked about Ben Solo. “He’s with Han.” Rey said, finally releasing him. She was about to say more when they were interrupted by an elegant looking woman walking toward them from the opposite end of the corridor. She was wrapped in a long grey cape, her hair wound in a complicated braid at the back of her head. Rey recognised her at once as Ben’s mother-they shared the same warm brown eyes. She hastily pushed herself back onto her feet, feeling embarrassed at being caught hugging a droid.

Leia regarded her thoughtfully for a few seconds before she spoke. “You’re Rey?” She said cautiously, extending her hand in greeting. “I’ve been waiting to meet you.”

Rey took Leia’s hand nervously and shook it. She knew she must look a mess. Her hair was wind blown and tangled from riding the speeder. Her clothes and boots were streaked with dirt from her recent excursions in the rainforest. “Yes, I’m Rey.” She murmured.

“Rey….?” Leia waited for her to reveal her full name.

Rey felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. “Its just Rey.”

“Oh.” Leia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Han had mentioned the girl, but hadn’t revealed much more than her first name. “Well, Rey, I’m Leia…Ben’s mother.”

“Yes.” Rey murmured again. She wasn’t prepared for this encounter. She clasped her hands behind her back to stop them shaking. It was one thing meeting Han, but General Leia Organa Solo, was on a whole other level. The former princess, turned rebel leader, senator, and now a general in the Resistance, was an intimidating presence, despite her small stature.

“Would you walk with me, Rey.” Leia asked.

Rey wasn’t sure it was a request that she could turn down. She nodded, her fingers interlacing tightly behind her back as she began to follow Leia back down the corridor. She was relieved when BB-8 took it upon himself to follow them. The little droid’s presence was comforting and Rey didn’t feel so alone. As they strolled in the direction of the main bridge, Leia made casual conversation to try and put Rey at ease.

When they reached the bridge, Leia motioned for Rey to sit, while she made a fresh pot of Caf.’ While she went about her task, she kept up the flow of causal questions. She would say something-Rey followed with a pretended interested response, just to keep the conversation going. She said something about BB-8. Leia laughed politely. The conversation was superficial, awkward.

“You are really not what I expected.” Leia said eventually as she poured the some of the freshly brewed Caf’ into a cup, before offering it to Rey.

“Oh.” Rey didn’t know what she was expected to say to that. She cradled the warm cup in her hands, glad to have something to hold on to. “What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know, really.” Leia settled down in the seat opposite Rey. “You are so young. How old are you?”

“I’m nineteen.” Rey lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip. The hot liquid burned the roof of her mouth and she winced.

“You need to let it cool.” Leia advised her with a small smile.

“I don’t normally drink Caf.’” Rey mumbled as she pushed the cup away from her.

“I expect you didn’t come across it that much on Jakku.” Leia said carefully.

“No.” Rey responded curtly.

Leia felt she had overstepped the mark. She paused, taking a delicate sip of her own drink as she tried to retrieve the conversation. She was desperate to find out about this young scavenger’s opinion of Ben. Rey was certainly pretty, if pitifully thin. Leia couldn’t imagine the harsh life she had to endure living on that godforsaken planet. “I’m sorry if my questions are making you feel uncomfortable.” She apologised. “Its just been so long since I’ve seen my son…and you’ve spent so much time with him.”

Rey was slightly mollified by Leia’s sincere apology, but still bemused at what the older woman expected from her. “I’ve only known Ben a short while.”

“You call him Ben?” Leia said in surprise.

“Yes.” Rey’s eyes flicked nervously to BB-8 when he emitted a low whistle.

“You know of his previous affiliation with the First Order?” Leia pressed.

Rey’s hackles were raised at once. She stood up abruptly, her expression closing off. “If you will excuse me, General Organa, I really should find my friend.”

“Rey, please, sit down. Despite what you think, this is not an interrogation.” Leia sighed, motioning for Rey to take a seat.

“It certainly feels like it.” Rey retorted.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I simply want to try and get a better understanding of my son and I hoped you would be the best person to help me. We’ve been estranged for a long while. I suspect if your mother was in my position, she would want the same.”

“I don’t remember my mother.” Rey remained standing as she stared at a spot above Leia’s head.

“She died?” Leia questioned softly.

“She’ll come back for me. One day.” Rey answered stiffly. “They both will.”

“Oh, my poor child. Your parents abandoned you, didn’t they?” Leia’s voice was full of sorrow which only intensified Rey’s agony.

“I don’t need your pity.” She said through gritted teeth.

Leia rose gracefully to her feet. “Rey, I’m handling this very badly. I promise you that I don’t pity you…. I just _feel_ sad for you.”

Rey’s eyes shifted to the side again and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. She blinked them away and stood irresolute. Her lower lip quivered as words slowly made their way out of her mouth. “Ben is the most understanding and gentle person I’ve ever met.” She said after she had regained her composure. “If you don’t see that…then I _feel_ sad for you.” She countered, throwing Leia’s words back at her.

Leia sank into her chair, her face a mixture of sadness and shock, as Rey turned and walked away from her, with the ever-loyal BB-8 following hot on her heels.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	26. Deal

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Six-Deal **

Rey felt like a third wheel as she listened in amused silence to Finn and Rose gently teasing each other. After her awkward encounter with Leia, she had finally tracked her friend down, only to find Rose enjoying the company of the former stormtrooper. The two of them had really hit it off. Rey was pleased that Rose had found someone she could relate to so easily. She was actually enjoying watching their blossoming relationship, Finn was so considerate of Rose. He was full of emotional warmth and Rey knew that’s exactly what Rose needed after losing her sister in such a tragic way. It put her heart at ease, knowing that she could leave with a clear conscience, because after talking to Leia, she had decided it was time to move on.

“I have to go, guys.” Rey said when she finally found a gap in the conversation.

Rose’s happy smile faded and she looked at Rey in confusion. “Go? You’re not leaving?”

“I never intended to stay.” Rey reached out for her friend’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You fit in here, Rose. I don’t.”

“That’s not true.” Rose insisted. “Tell her, Finn.”

Finn looked at Rey and gave her an empathetic smile. “It’s your choice of course…but I’m sure they can find you a role here. They’ve been very welcoming to me.”

“That’s good to hear.” Rey returned his smile warmly. Finn was such a great guy. She was so glad that he and Rose had found each other.

“Where are you going to go?” Rose questioned. “Surely you’re not going back to Jakku.”

Rey sighed. “I’m not sure yet.”

“If you don’t know yet, then why go?” Rose was getting quite tearful. She didn’t want to lose Rey so soon. Even though they had only been acquainted for a short while, it felt like she was losing Paige all over again. “Just give it a little more time…please.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve made up my mind.” Rey hated seeing Rose so upset. This was the part she had been dreading, the goodbyes. Time slowed down, as if her brain needed a ‘photograph,’ a keepsake to remind her of this moment in time. She leaned down and embraced Rose, hugging the petite girl with all the strength she possessed. “I’m so glad I met you. And I promise I will keep in touch.”

“Oh, Rey.” Rose sobbed when Rey let go. She still gripped her hand tightly. “Are you going off with _him_?”

Rey tensed slightly as she gently disentangled her fingers from Rose’s tight grip. “You mean Ben.” She corrected her.

“But this is about him.” Rose persisted. “He’s dangerous. He’s Kylo Ren.”

“Not to me.” Rey smiled sadly as her eyes drifted to Finn. If anyone should have a strong opinion about Ben’s alter ego, it should be him. To her surprise, she didn’t see judgement or resentment in his eyes. In fact, he had been that way ever since she had come to know him. “Look after her for me.” She whispered when she felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

“I will.” Finn promised sombrely. “And you make sure to look after you.”

“Thank you.” Rey gave him a grateful smile. “Until we meet again.”

“Until we meet again.” Finn murmured as he took Rose’s hand in his and interlaced their fingers.

With one last tear shedding down her cheek, Rose echoed the sentiment. “Until we meet again.”

* * *

BB-8 followed faithfully behind Rey as she ambled back to the Falcon. She was in no hurry to get there. She was still trying to come to terms with her bittersweet goodbyes to Rose and Finn. She hoped to see them again one day. But despite her sadness at leaving her new friends behind so soon after only just getting to know them, she knew it was the right decision for her. She may be leaving but in truth it was an escape, an emancipation from the shackles of her past. Rey hadn’t realised how stagnant her life on Jakku had become until Ben. All those wasted years, hopelessly waiting for her parents to come back for her. This was it. This was goodbye to her past. Instead of just existing. She was going to start living. It was time to head for new horizons. To find out who she, Rey, really was.

“Hey!” The sound of a man angrily hailing her, disturbed Rey’s thoughts. She halted, turning around slowly to find Poe Dameron striding determinedly toward her.

Rey heard BB-8 let out a low whistle of consternation at his master’s approach. She hunkered down next to the jittery little astromech and patted the back of his dome head. “Don’t worry, BB-8. I can handle myself.”

“Hey!” Poe yelled again when he finally reached her. “That’s my droid.”

“Your droid!” Rey scoffed as she rose back onto her feet.

“Yes…. mine!” Poe answered irritably as he bent down to examine BB-8 for any signs of damage. “You good, buddy?”

Rey relaxed at the concern colouring Poe’s voice when he spoke to BB-8. The one occasion where they had crossed paths with one another he had come across as a hot-shot pilot with a planet sized ego to match. It was nice to see that he was actually capable of thinking of someone other than himself. “BB-8 has kindly been keeping me company.”

Poe pursed his lips and looked up at her through narrowed eyes. “It’s a pity you don’t think about the company you keep.”

His accusation immediately put Rey on the defensive. “That’s none of your business.”

“It is when his presence here is putting us all at risk.” Poe countered sharply as he stood up again.

Rey glowered at him, her own anger rising. “Without his help you wouldn’t have been able to destroy Starkiller base…and if I understand things correctly, wasn’t it you who put everyone at risk by firing on it too early.”

“I saw an opportunity and I took it.” Poe argued. “And we all know that his help came at a price.” He looked at Rey pointedly and her cheeks flushed a dull red at what he was insinuating.

As they continued to bicker, BB-8’s dome head swivelled back and forth between them miserably. The little droid may not be programmed to feel physical pain, but he was wired to feel it emotionally. And right now, he was hurt and conflicted. He didn’t like the way Poe was yelling at Rey, and implying such mean things about Ben Solo. He knew from experience how reckless his master could be. On the many flying expeditions he had been on with Poe, often they had only managed to survive unscathed because of his superior flying skills and BB-8’s ability to improvise and think of radical solutions when their ship was practically breaking apart around them. 

BB-8 became more agitated as his inner conflict continued to rage inside him. He had been loyal to Poe since the first mission they had been paired on together, helping to keep his X-wing in working order. But since meeting Ben and Rey on Jakku, he had felt the first stirrings of rebellion grow inside him. He had reached an impasse.

“BB-8, come on.” Poe demanded when Rey cut their argument short and began to walk away.

BB-8 froze momentarily as he looked up at his master’s face. Poe was impatiently motioning for him to move. When he remained rooted in place, Poe let out a frustrated sigh. He took a few steps, then paused when he realised BB-8 wasn’t obediently following him.

“What’s wrong with you, buddy? I said come on.” Poe ordered again.

BB-8’s dome head swivelled around in Rey’s direction. She was being swallowed up by the distance. He had heard her sentimental goodbyes to Rose and Finn. Soon she would be gone and he would never see her or Ben Solo again. BB-8 had been separated from Poe on numerous occasions in the past for one reason or another, but he had never felt as bad as he did now, watching Rey leave. He turned back to look at his master one last time as he made a final decision. “May we meet again.” He said sadly to Poe in his binary language, before rolling away.

* * *

Rey found Kylo sitting at the base of the Falcon’s ramp with his elbows resting on his knees. His head was bowed as if he was in deep thought. His hair lay black and poker straight, yet soft, moving like prairie grasses in the gentle wind. When she joined him, he gave her the sweetest smile, like just her mere presence lit up his world. Rey knew then she had made the right decision in choosing to leave. Others may judge this man and see him only as Kylo Ren, but she knew better. She trusted what her heart was telling her.

“Are you okay?” Kylo checked.

“I’m ready to leave.” Rey met his unwavering gaze and smiled. Emotions, she thought, the very thing that make us human. You can have happiness, pride, excitement, relief. Every emotion considered good. But what would you be if you didn't feel hurt, or pain, or despair? You can't have the good without the bad. There is no light without darkness. That’s what none of the others understood. The trick was to balance them, so the bad doesn't seem so terrible, and you can truly appreciate the good. Kylo needed to find that balance within himself, and Rey was willing to go on the journey with him to find it.

“Are you sure? What about your friend?” Kylo asked, though he couldn’t stop his relief shining through.

“She’s happy to stay here. I’ve already said my goodbyes. What about you?”

“There’s nothing for me here.” Kylo’s brows drew down into a deep frown as his bitter thoughts turned to his mother. “I’m ready to move on, too.”

“Where to?” Rey raised her eyes to the endless clear blue sky above them.

“They’ve found Skywalker. Han wants me to go with him and Chewie to confront him.” Kylo revealed darkly.

“Then you should.” Rey replied with conviction as she locked her gaze on his.

Kylo could see wind-stirred waves in her eyes. If he were brave enough to enter their depths, all else would blur and he'd fall so deep in love that he would choose to stay there, no matter what. Of that, he was completely sure. He wanted it so badly, his heart ached with longing. “I told him no.”

“Why?” Rey asked softly.

“I can’t do it alone.” Kylo felt unaccustomed tears well in the corners of his eyes, tears that keep his soul alive in the furnace of his pain. “I don’t trust myself.”

“But you’re not alone.” Rey reminded him gently. “I’m here.” She followed those words with a smile that was so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that an unexpected warmth rushed through him. “And BB-8 of course.” She said, gesturing toward the little orange and white droid who was bolting straight toward them. “And if you confront your past. I’ll confront mine.” She promised.

Kylo’s mouth twitched, and Rey was pretty sure he was fighting a smile. “Deal.” He said.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review!_ **


	27. Ahch-to

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Seven-Ahch-to **

“The kid’s a quick learner.” Han observed as he watched Rey deflect another blaster bolt from one of the training remotes he had unearthed in the bowels of the Falcon. They were the same ones that Luke had used when he was training under Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Han didn’t tell Kylo that. He passed him a flask of what his son presumed was water. It wasn’t until Kylo flipped opened the lid and smelled the strong aroma of Corellian Whisky that he balked and glared at his father. “Oh, get over yourself.” Han continued gruffly. “You’re about to see Luke again for the first time in years. It’ll help.”

“This is your version of helping?” Kylo grouched. “By getting me drunk.”

“It’ll take the edge off.” Han pointed out. “And I always aim better when I’ve had a fortifying drink.”

“Aim?” Kylo questioned suspiciously as he gave in to his father’s demands and raised the flask to his lips so he could take a tentative sip. He had never been much of a drinker, not like his old man. Being drunk in combat was a great way to get yourself killed. He couldn’t believe his father was encouraging him to do so now, but when he felt the cool liquid slip down the back of his throat and warm his insides, he changed his mind.

“You didn’t think I was gonna go up to your Uncle and shake his hand when I saw him.” Han muttered sarcastically in response to his question. He snatched the flask out of Kylo’s hand and took a long swig, licking his lips in satisfaction afterwards. He curled his fingers into a tight fist and feigned a swing at his son’s chin, chuckling when Kylo glared at him again. “Ah, lighten up, son.”

Kylo scowled when Han passed the flask back to him. He gulped some more whisky, spluttering as the kickback from the strong alcohol burned his throat on the way down. Han laughed and slapped him hard on the back until Kylo had his coughing fit under control. “You have got a lot to learn, Ben.” He said, grinning.

Rey had become distracted by Kylo’s coughing fit. She made the mistake of glancing over at him in concern at the same time the Marksman-H training remote fired at her. The laser bolt hit her square on the left shoulder like a stinging reprimand and she let out a surprised yell. “Ow!”

“You alright there, kid?” Han called out to her.

Rey nodded her head in response as she felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. She had been doing so well up until that point. Her tunic was clinging to her back in places after such a vigorous work out. A glossy sheen of perspiration coated her forehead. She watched warily as Kylo walked over to her, his expression serious, and waited with baited breath for him to critique her performance. But to her surprise, he caught the remote in his hand, shutting it down, before motioning her to do the same with her saber.

“That’s enough for now. Take a break. You did well.” Kylo praised her.

“But I missed.” Rey said in confusion. “I got distracted.”

“Blame him and the stupid Corellian whisky.” Kylo replied sardonically as he threw an irritated glance over his shoulder in Han’s direction.

“Want some?” Han teased as he held out the flask toward Rey jokingly. He wasn’t really expecting her to take it, let alone drink it, but when she did and suffered no aftereffects like his son, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“What?” Rey scoffed when she saw both men looking at her in shock. “There were always smugglers passing through on Jakku and they certainly never drank just plain water.” She passed the flask back to Han. “I’m going to freshen up and then head to the cockpit to check on Chewie.”

“I like that kid.” Han said, giving his son another lopsided grin.

Kylo rolled his eyes as he sat settled back down next to the Dejarik table. Han put the flask of whisky away and switched on the game as a distraction. Soon the two of them became immersed in the game, both competitively trying to outsmart the other, as their respective teams of holographic creatures battled each other on the circular board. It was Kylo who proved victorious in the end. He gave his father a triumphant look when he won. Han glared at him in annoyance, muttering under his breath that he let him win.

“I never took you for a sore loser.” Kylo said in amusement.

Han shrugged, rolling his shoulders to ease the crick in his neck. “We’ll be there soon. You need to prepare yourself.”

Kylo felt his mood plummeting in the wake of Han’s warning. The looming spectre of his uncle sat heavily on his shoulders as he began to brood silently. He could hear Skywalker’s lecturing voice in the back of his mind even though he hadn’t seen him in years. He remembered all the things his uncle used to say, his familiar catchphrases, the way Skywalker would look at him sternly when he accused him of showing off to the other Padawans. There had always been a division between him and the other Jedi students, and Kylo often blamed his uncle for that rift. Sometimes he thought that Skywalker stoked the flames of their resentment toward him by being extra hard on him in order not to show favouritism just because he was his nephew. The other students excluded him, only one of them, Tai, had reached out in friendship, but even that was ruined when Skywalker intervened and put a clamp down on any social activities. Not that stopped the others, they just did it behind their master’s back, though they made sure never to invite Kylo in case he blabbed to Skywalker.

Han regarded his troubled son thoughtfully. He had been desperately trying to earn his trust, to show him unconditional love, even though he struggled to express his emotions properly, he hoped that Kylo had seen through the playful banter and understood how much he wanted to be there for him, after being absent for so long. For Han had come to realise he had been sorely mistaken in the past when he had incorrectly assumed, he would never be able to connect with his son just because he was so Force sensitive. It was only now he noticed how many traits Kylo had inherited from him.

Han's first instinct was always to run when things got hard, but he never ran far and always came back and stepped up again, knowing that there was a time to run and a time to make a stand. Even though it had taken him far too long this time, he was making a stand now. Han felt immensely guilty about not fighting for Ben when Leia proposed the idea of sending their son to train with Luke. It was his biggest regret. His own relationship with his brother-in-law had been rocky over the years.

When they had first met, he and Luke immediately disliked each other: Han found Luke irritating and overly eager, and his open disdain for Kenobi's beliefs and actions did little to change Luke's initial view of Han as nothing but an extortionist. However, after Han demonstrated his bravery on the Death Star and proved his loyalty, they had become genuine friends, and soon after, Han became loyal to the Rebellion. Aside from his seemingly self-centred ways, Han was actually very loyal to his friends, and a good man. Having endured a difficult childhood as an impoverished orphan with no identity, Han instantly related to the Jakku scavenger Rey, who shared some of his skills. He was grateful to the kid for the way she related to his son. She was non-judgemental and stoutly refused to let her opinion of Ben be swayed by those less forgiving. Kylo’s own mother being one of them. Han felt a heavy sadness consume him as he thought about his wife. If it was the last thing he did, he was going to drag Luke back with him to face Leia and tell her the truth about the night the Jedi temple burned down.

The Falcon juddered, disturbing both men out of their private reflections. Rey reappeared, announcing they were now orbiting Ahch-to. “Chewie’s beginning the landing sequence.” She explained. Her face was shining with excitement after piloting the ship with Chewie. The patient Wookie had been giving her the benefit of his vast experience navigating the Millennium Falcon through difficult patches of space, even sharing some funny stories from Ben’s childhood, when the little boy had stowed away on the ship without their knowledge.

Rey’s concerned gaze drifted to Kylo when she noticed how tense he looked. _“Are you okay?”_ She asked telepathically.

_“No.”_ Kylo answered honestly.

“ _You’re not alone, Ben_.” Rey reminded him with a small smile.

_“I know_.” Kylo maintained eye-contact with her, his emotions telling him he needed more of a connection.

Rey felt his longing and tried to reassure him with her thoughts that he could handle this difficult reunion-even though she didn’t know the real reason behind his estrangement from his uncle. Kylo’s eyes were so different in moments like these, softer than she knew eyes could be. If it were anyone else, she would have dropped her gaze by now, but with him she was drawn in closer, always wanting more.

Han cleared his throat to regain their attention and just like that the connection was broken.

* * *

From space, Ahch-To appeared to be a world of nothing but deep blue oceans orbiting twin stars. Dotting the oceans, however, were rocky island archipelagos covered with green trees and grass, where birds, such as Porgs would congregate. The first Jedi Temple was built on one such island, known as Temple island. By the time of the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, Temple island was dotted with Jedi ruins. Han headed toward those ruins now. He had told the others to remain on the Falcon while he went to confront Luke alone. Surprisingly, his son hadn’t protested, Han had a feeling Rey might have something to do with that.

The wind blew around him, ruffling his greying hair. The green grass swayed beneath his feet as Han ventured through the island’s ancient ruins until he reached a rocky promontory. Standing on the edge, clad in fraying brown robes, stood Luke Skywalker. He stood with his back to Han, staring down at the choppy ocean waves below. His long shaggy hair swirled crazily around his head as he slowly turned to face his unwanted visitor. When his eyes landed on his brother-in-law, they widened slightly in surprise. “Han.” He said in disbelief. “Is that really you? How did you find me?”

Han’s face was grim as let his fist do the talking and punched Luke in the face.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	28. Han and Luke

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Eight-Han and Luke **

There was blood on Han’s knuckles as he jerked his fist back into Luke’s face. His blood hummed in his veins as determination and anger took over. He ignored the pain that blazed up his arm as his fist connected with Luke’s jaw. It wasn’t until his third attempt that Skywalker finally decided to evade his punch. Crimson leaked from both his nostrils as he stared at Han in complete shock at the unprovoked assault.

Luke’s chest gently rose and sank with each shallow breath he drew in. He finally met Han’s angry glare with one of his own as he nursed his bruised jaw. “I see you’ve fallen back into your old habits, Han. Hit first, ask questions later.”

“It’s better than being a craven coward!” Han spat through clenched teeth. “Hiding out here just so you can avoid the consequences of your actions.”

Luke’s blood ran cold at the tension and intensity of emotion in Han’s tone. He immediately became defensive, believing that Han was there to confront him about exiling himself and leaving Leia to fight the war against the First Order alone. He was completely oblivious to the real reason behind his sudden animosity. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.” He snapped as he turned his back on Han and began to walk briskly away in the opposite direction.

Incensed by Luke’s dismissive attitude, Han ran to catch up with him. But unlike Skywalker he wasn’t familiar with the rough terrain. In his haste he tripped several times when his boots snagged on the hidden potholes and crevices, while Luke circumnavigated them with ease. Soon he fell behind, but his boiling resentment toward his brother-in-law kept him moving forward. By the time Han made some headway, Luke had already reached his hut. Secluding himself inside, Luke locked the door against Han’s pounding fists.

“COWARD!” Han yelled through the thick wooden door. “YOU CAN’T HIDE IN THERE FOREVER!” When there was no response from Luke, Han’s mouth curled up in the corners into a grim smile. He might not be able to get inside, but he knew someone who could. Han pounded on the door one last time as a final warning before heading back to the Falcon to fetch Chewbacca.

* * *

Kylo descended the opened ramp with BB-8 following close behind. Rey was already waiting for him at the bottom. She had her back to him. She wore a charcoal coloured poncho to ward off the chill. Ahch-to’s tumultuous weather system had taken a turn for the worse. The icy grey sky restlessly grumbled. The thick blackened clouds were dragged down by the heavy rain which it held in its delicate frame. Kylo paused halfway down the ramp as he watched Rey tilt her head back, her eyes closed against the burst of water erupting down on top of her. Water washed over her skin so strongly that it felt more like the quick flow of a river rather than a rain shower. Her skin glistened as the heavy water droplets ran down her cheeks. She was revelling in it.

After living her whole life in such dry and arid conditions like those on Jakku, Ahch-to’s rainstorm was like a touch of heaven. Kylo watched in silent fascination as Rey spun in a slow circle, her head still tipped back, her hands outstretched in front of her as she let the torrent of water bless her parched skin. Her eyes opened; her thick black lashes fluttered under the onslaught of water as they tried to shield her eyes from the downpour. Her lips parted and her breath condensed in front of her as she spun around again, her mouth curved into the most delicious smile.

Kylo felt his heartbeat quicken as he continued to watch Rey enjoying her first ever rainstorm. She was so devastatingly beautiful in her innocent joy. He daren’t move, he daren’t even breathe, he was frozen to the spot. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears. The hairs on his arms stood to attention, as a militia of chills marched down his spine. Was there something there or was is it just his imagination? The beating gets louder and louder, surely if there is something there, he can hear this cacophonous thrumming rhythm as the bond opened and her happiness communicated itself directly to him. His breathing got deeper and deeper by the second as he found himself sharing her exhilaration.

A low whistle of warning from BB-8 snapped Kylo out of his daydream. Through the thick, icy sheets of rain, he saw Han striding toward the ship. His eyes were blazing with anger. Kylo’s mood plummeted as he stood with the water running freely down his face and onto his already soaked clothes for his father to reach him.

Rey encountered Han first, her joy fading as she noticed the grim look on the older man’s face. She shot a nervous glance over her shoulder toward Kylo, searching for his reaction. What she saw saddened her. “It didn’t go well then.”

“That’s an understatement.” Han muttered. “Where’s Chewie?”

“He’s servicing the environmental controls.” Rey answered as she followed him back up the ramp.

“That can wait.” Han halted in front of his son. “Luke’s locked himself inside his hut like the coward he is. I’m going to get Chewie to break him out.”

Kylo had arranged his features into an uncaring mask. “Did you really expect anything else?” He said, shrugging. “Why bother?”

The empty sound of his voice was disrupted by the loud gregarious boom of thunder. Han glowered at his son; his forefinger raised in front of him in a silent gesture of frustration. “I’m not giving up so easily. And neither should you. I’ll knock the blasted hut down around his ears if that’s what it takes to flush him out.”

“You mean Chewie will knock it down.” The beginnings of a rare smile touched the corners of Kylo’s mouth.

“Why do you think I made friends with a Wookie. They come in useful like that. Just trust that your old man knows what he’s doing.” Han replied with a lopsided grin as he patted Kylo on the shoulder before leaving him to hunt down Chewbacca.

* * *

Rey ran her fingers through her wet hair and shook it out. After feeling revitalised by the intense downpour, she was now feeling reflective. Kylo had fallen into a brooding silence ever since Han had left with Chewie, which nothing could penetrate. Rey watched him discreetly out of the corner of her eye as she fiddled with the antenna on top of BB-8’s head.

“Ben Solo is sad.” BB-8 beeped at her quietly in his binary language.

“I know.” Rey agreed as she finished straightening the antenna. She brushed the pads of her fingers across the top of the little droid’s dome head tenderly. “He’ll be okay, BB-8. I’ll go and talk to him.”

BB-8 let out another low whistle as he rolled away to give them some privacy. Rey pushed herself back onto her feet and slowly walked over to join Kylo at the Dejarik table. “Do you want some company?” She asked cautiously.

Kylo nodded at her bleakly. Rey’s hazel eyes were filled with gentle concern as she settled down beside him. She laid her hand lightly on his shoulder and he was immediately soothed by it. Rey left her hand there as she tried to coax him to open up to her. “You know you can talk to me.” She urged him.

The light of her compassion made his eyes moisten. Kylo knew he didn’t deserve it, but she continued to bless him with it nonetheless. Words continued to fail him, he had so much to say, but struggled to express himself. “I want to.” He admitted huskily. “I just can’t.”

“Are you afraid I’m going to judge you?” Rey asked. “I promise you I won’t. You can tell me anything.”

Kylo knew her compassion was the bridge; it was just taking time to trust his weight to it. She took her hand away from his shoulder and extended it toward him. Kylo stared at it, his eyes glimmering with suppressed emotion as he tentatively extended his fingers in response. Rey emitted a slight gasp when their fingertips brushed. It was like touching a livewire. Their bond grew stronger, raw in its intensity as it thrummed between them like a steady heartbeat. Kylo was hiding nothing from her, he let her share his hidden emotional scars, his fears, his aching loneliness. Rey moved closer, letting her fingers glide along his. Kylo’s breath hitched at the enormity of the trust he was placing in her.

_“Can you show me what happened with Skywalker?”_

Kylo’s heartbeat echoed in his ears at her request. He didn’t think he had the strength to relive that harrowing memory. He felt like the firing squad was approaching, a grim reminder of his own mortality. His heart continued to beat so loudly that it seemed to want to escape his chest, to flee the horror of that particular part of his past. His eyes locked with Rey’s and she saw his trepidation and fear.

_“You don’t have to.”_ She backtracked quickly.

_“No.”_ Kylo breathed deeply and grasped her hand fully in his. _“I want to. I need to.”_

_“You’re not alone_.” Rey promised. “ _I’m right here.”_

Kylo’s heartbeat was steady like a drummer, keeping rhythm, keeping beat. He kept his gaze trained steadily on hers as he went back to that fateful night in his mind and took Rey with him.

* * *

Luke’s eyes were glassy as he looked down at his old jedi robes. He hadn’t worn them since the night he had decided to probe his nephew’s mind as he lay asleep. He had been sensing the darkness growing inside Ben for a long time, had even gotten hints of it during his training. His hasty decision to go to Ben’s hut that night to confront him had far reaching consequences he could never have imagined. When he delved into his young apprentice’s mind he was devastated to learn that Snoke had already turned his nephew’s heart to the dark side, and that knowledge was followed by a brief dark vision, he saw that Ben would bring nothing but death and destruction and leave his loved ones in anguish. In a flash of defensive instinct, Luke thought he could stop that future and for a brief moment raised his lightsaber to destroy him, believing that it was the only way to halt his descent into darkness and prevent the end of everything he loved. This instinct was gone almost the second that it came, and he had been immediately filled with shame.

But by then it was already too late. Ben had already awoken to see him standing over him with his lightsaber raised. Confused and angry, Ben pulled his own lightsaber to him in self-defence and attacked Luke, despite Luke’s entreaties for him to listen. Then using the Force to pull down the hut on top of him he had left Luke for dead. When Luke came around, he emerged from the rubble of the hut to find his temple destroyed, with his other apprentices either killed or vanished with his nephew. Left deeply traumatised and mentally broken by what he believed to be his ultimate failure, Luke lost faith in himself and the Force. He believed he had failed to protect his students, and also failed to save his own flesh and blood from his family's dark legacy. Fleeing into self-imposed exile, and vanishing from the galaxy at-large without a trace was his only coping mechanism. He planned on living out the last of his days in reclusive exile…but now Han was here bringing the past back with him.

Luke squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to bury his shame and guilt and shove it deep down inside him. Just like he had buried his connection to the Force. He had deliberately cut himself off from it, even though it continued to call out to him, tormenting him every waking minute. Luke took a deep, shuddering breath and folded his old robes carefully, intending to put them put away in a locked box, but before he had a chance to do so the door to his hut was busted open and he got the shock of his life when Han stormed inside, followed by an enraged Chewie.

“I’ve already told you, Han. I have nothing to say.” Luke muttered after he had recovered his composure.

“Well I have plenty.” Han growled as he motioned for Chewie to grab hold of Luke before he had a chance to run off again. “And you’re gonna damn well listen.”

Luke was outraged. He began to struggle as the tall Wookie encased his arms in a tight grip. “I’m not coming with you, Han. If its your intention to drag me back to the Resistance by force, it won’t work. Tell Leia I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do.”

“Oh, you’ll be saying more than sorry, Luke Skywalker.” Han accused. “You’re going to tell Leia to her face why you tried to murder our son.”

Luke stopped struggling as his complexion turned deathly white. “What?”

“Don’t even dare deny it. Ben told me everything.” Han growled.

“You’ve spoken to Ben?” Luke exclaimed in horror.

“I’ve done more than that. I’ve brought him with me.” Han revealed.

“He’s here?” Luke’s brain stuttered for a moment as the shocks kept on coming. Being cut off from the Force had prevented him from sensing his nephew’s presence. “He can’t be.” The rest of the words failed him as he forgot how to speak, he was totally stunned as Chewie pushed him roughly out of the hut and dragged him toward the Falcon.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	29. Bitter Memories

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story._ **

** Chapter Twenty-Nine-Memories **

The nightmare was more of a night terror, Rey felt she might die from the pain in her brain. The light from Skywalker’s weapon cast a sickly green glow on her face as she slowly opened her eyes and gazed up in confused horror at her Jedi master-her own uncle-standing above her with his lightsaber raised. Her immediate reaction was panic, as the terrifying realisation that Skywalker intended to assassinate her while she slept, sank in. Instinctively Rey called to her lightsaber, it flew into her opened hand, and she ignited it, intending to strike her uncle first, but Skywalker blocked her killing blow. In an act of pure desperation, she used the Force to collapse the entire hut on her master to try and save herself.

Rey was reliving Kylo’s memory in real time. She was like a living thing inside him, like their souls were one. She emerged from the hut believing she had killed Skywalker, and raged in anger and confusion over why her own uncle had tried to attack her. She raised her smarting eyes to the clear night sky and pointed her lightsaber at the Jedi temple looming in the distance. Anguished tears burned a fiery path down her face as she shouted questions, knowing that no answers were forthcoming. The red mist of her anger clouded her vision as crimson storm clouds began to form in the previously clear skies above the Jedi temple. Then to her increasing horror bright lightening erupted from the strange clouds and set the Jedi temple, and the buildings surrounding it, ablaze.

Rey screamed into the void as she charged toward the temple, intending to rescue those within. But another lightening strike caused an explosion that rocketed Rey backwards and scattered debris and bodies of dead students. Rey sobbed wretchedly as she climbed back onto her feet to make another desperate run toward the burning temple. But her efforts were all in vain, she was thrown back by another explosion. She surveyed the death and destruction around her, crying she never wanted this.

While she continued to fall apart an insidious voice began to make itself known at the back of her mind. In her torment, she latched on to it, listening in a terrified trance as the voice began to drip its poison.

_“I never…I didn’t want this_!” She wept.

_“And you did not choose it, Ben. The Jedi did. Skywalker_." The wheedling voice sympathised. “ _My boy.”_

* * *

Rey and Kylo’s communion was interrupted by the arrival of Han, Chewie and the eponymous, Luke Skywalker. Still caught up in Kylo’s nightmarish memories, Rey acted on instinct when she opened her eyes and saw the instigator of all the horror that had unravelled the night the temple was razed to the ground. She pulled her hand out of Kylo’s and quickly reached for her saber as soon as her horrified gaze settled on Luke’s confused face. She ignited the blue blade, her arm swinging in a wide arc as she slashed it clumsily in Skywalker’s direction.

“Rey! No!” Kylo yelled in alarm when he realised that Rey was still heavily under the influence of his nightmarish memories. His uncle seemed frozen in place as he stared in stunned silence at the girl brandishing his father’s own saber at him. Kylo had no choice but to use the Force to send her flying backwards before her blade landed the killing blow.

As Rey was flung through the air, she lost her grip on the legacy saber. It clattered onto the floor, landing directly at Luke’s feet. Rey made a rough landing a few feet away, emitting a faint moan as she lapsed into unconsciousness.

“This is all your fault.” Kylo raged at his uncle, the anger from his eyes showed the scared child within, the boy who was taught to fight and starved of the love he craved. Kylo’s soul was drowning in his own guilt as he ran over to Rey and tenderly cradled her in his arms. He was inconsolable that he had inadvertently hurt her. Once again, his uncle was the catalyst for the pain inflicted on someone he loved.

Anger boiled deep in his system, as hot as lava. It churned within, hungry for destruction, and was becoming too much for him to handle. He knew he had to get out of everyone's way before he erupted in his furious state. Kylo knew that this feeling would eventually pass, but while it still coiled within him, he was well aware he could really hurt his uncle. He needed to get out of the pressure cooker the Falcon had become. So, clutching Rey tightly in his arms, Kylo took the only avenue of escape open to him. He ran.

* * *

Luke’s horror swallowed him whole as he stared down at Anakin’s old weapon. He hadn’t seen or wielded it in years. His fingers shook as he bent down and retrieved his father’s lightsaber. His mind was in turmoil as he tried to process what had just happened. He tried to order his brain to function, to demand answers instead of this crazy-making circling fear. His rheumy gaze remained riveted on the ancient weapon as he examined it.

_Who was that girl?_

_Why did she have his father’s saber?_

_Why had she attacked him?_

_Ben’s face!_

Luke flinched at the memory of the murderous anger that had twisted his nephew’s handsome features as he raged at him. After Ben’s vicious display of temper, Luke was convinced that Han could no longer deny that his troubled son was still riddled with darkness.

“You’ve seen it for yourself now, Han. The darkness inside him.” Luke said gravely as he finally summoned the strength to face his brother-in-law. “You should never have brought him here.”

Han glared back at him defensively, his breathing coming in short, shallow bursts. “It was you.” He growled, stepping forward. “You tried to murder him. My son. You did it. You created Kylo Ren!”

Luke’s lips thinned into a stubborn line. “Leave this island now.” He ordered as he began to turn away.

Chewie let out a warning growl as Han lunged at Luke, using all his strength to shove him. Unbalanced, Luke fell backwards, the breath knocked out of his body as he stared in disbelief at Han looming above him with a raised blaster in his hand.

“Tell me the damn truth.” Han yelled at him.

A tremor wracked Luke’s body as he looked up at Han in despair. His gaze drifted inward as he began to speak. “I saw darkness.” He said bleakly. “I sensed it building in him. I’d seen it in moments during his training. Then I looked inside and it was beyond anything I ever imagined.” He pressed his eyes closed, unable to look at Han’s face anymore. “Snoke had already turned his heart. He would bring destruction, pain, death, and the end of everything I love because of what he will become. And for the briefest moment of pure instinct, I thought I could stop it. It passed like a fleeting shadow. And I was left with shame and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of a frightened boy whose master had failed him."

Luke opened his eyes again to find Han still glaring down at him. “You did more than fail him.” Han accused as he put his blaster back in its holster. “You attacked my son because of some unsubstantiated Force vision! And your pathetic excuses don’t wash with me.” He shook his head in disgust as he stormed out of the Falcon and went in search of Kylo.

* * *

Kylo sat amongst the old Jedi ruins, cradling Rey on his lap. He stared bleakly over her shoulder as he hugged her to him tightly. He’d hurt her. Not intentionally. But he had still done it. After he had vowed to himself to always protect her. He rocked Rey a little, his eyes tightening as he drowned in remorse. The guilt sat not on his chest but inside his brain. What he had done he could not un-do. He was a monster. His horrific memories had spurred her on to attack Skywalker and she had suffered the consequences. He had put her life at risk by opening up the lockbox of his darkest memories.

Rey moaned breathlessly as she slowly drifted back to consciousness. Her head hurt abominably. She squirmed in Kylo’s tight grip until he relaxed his hold on her enough so she could breathe. She opened her eyes to find his devastated face looking down at hers. Disorientated, Rey took a moment to sort through her tangled thoughts, until comprehension dawned.

_She had attacked Luke Skywalker!_

As the guilt came to haunt her, she drew in an unsteady breath. “Ben, what did I do?” She pleaded.

“You didn’t do anything.” Kylo enfolded her in his arms again. One second passed. Two seconds passed. Three seconds passed. Guilt was eating and pestering him. A fire burned in his mind and throat. Remorse hitting him like a sledgehammer. “It was all me. I did it.”

Rey tried to make sense of the confusion clouding her mind. Why was he blaming himself? He wasn’t responsible for her actions. “I was the one holding the lightsaber, Ben. Not you.”

“You were reacting off my memories. I should never have shared them with you.” Kylo’s voice was thick with regret. “And then…. I…I hurt you.”

“No. You stopped me in time. You had no choice.” Rey’s mind was slowly clearing. She sat up on his lap, rubbing her aching temples.

“I hurt you.”

“I’m fine.” Rey sighed regretfully. “Next time we’ll be more careful.”

“There won’t be a next time.” Kylo retorted. “I am not going to risk this happening again.”

“Like you have any control over it. We still don’t fully understand this connection between us.” Rey’s eyes snapped to his and she glared at him. “Will you stop feeling sorry for yourself! What happened wasn’t your fault. Get over it and move on.”

Kylo opened his mouth to argue when he sensed his father approaching. “This conversation is not over.” He warned her quietly.

As Han appeared on the horizon, Rey felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment at the compromising position she was in. She was sitting snuggled up on Kylo’s lap, pressed up against his broad chest. The situation was only made worse when she saw the knowing smirk Han flashed in his son’s direction. Scowling, Rey climbed out of Kylo’s lap and rose unsteadily to her feet. Mustering up her remaining dignity, she avoided looking directly at either Han or Kylo as she led the way out of the temple ruins.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	30. Luke's Offer

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Luke’s Offer **

As Rey roused from a heavy slumber, the first thing she became aware of was the coolness of the air and its loamy fragrance. The ground was lumpy as if she were on a bed of earth and rocks. Her clothes were damp with dew. It must have rained sometime in the night while she and others slept around the campfire. She sat up, raking her fingers through her hair to de-tangle it. As she looked around, she noticed everyone else was still fast asleep. Twin snores came from Chewie and Han’s direction. Now she knew what had awoken her. She fought a smile when she noticed one of the island’s native bird species-a Porg-had nested in the Wookie’s fur while he slept.

Rey’s amused gaze drifted to Kylo who lay a few feet away from the others. He was sprawled on his stomach, one muscled arm stretched in her direction. His handsome features were much softer in sleep, the lines that usually creased his brow replaced by the youthful appearance that matched those of others his age. He looked peaceful. Rey was glad that he had managed to find some semblance of tranquillity in his sleep after the previous day’s drama. Not wanting to disturb him, or Han and Chewie, she pushed herself silently to her feet, grabbed her quarterstaff and wandered away to do some exploring on her own.

As she walked among the ancient Jedi temple’s ruins, a light rain began to fall. Each raindrop traced sweet paths on her skin, making her feel refreshed. Rey smiled, feeling her soul stir, the air felt electrified around her as if it was calling her forward. She found herself irresistibly drawn toward a strange looking, hollowed out tree. The tree’s branches stretched up, as if proud to stand there under the sun in any weather. How Rey wished she could have seen the tree’s beauty in its glory days, she imagined the green bounty of leaves and earthy browns of the patterned bark, yet despite its great age she could still sense the peace and wisdom emanating from it as she approached. Just like the island, she felt like she had seen all this before in some half-forgotten dream.

As she stepped inside the tree’s hollowed-out interior she was confronted by a strange sight. She found a bookshelf within containing a series of archaic texts. Rey held her breath as she studied them curiously. The crevices in the wall of the tree allowed small amounts of light to filter inside along with thin ropes of ivy. Dust floated lazily in the air. All that she could hear were the faint chirps of birds outside, the scurrying feet of invisible rodents, and the rustling of papers catching the draft. The Force flowed around her, directing her steps towards the ancient books and the wisdom they contained inside. Rey’s fingers trembled slightly as she eagerly reached for the book closest to her.

“Who are you?”

Luke’s voice seemed to come out of nowhere, startling Rey. She spun around to face him, finally letting go of the breath she had been holding. She stared at him for the length of a heart beat before admitting. “I know this place.”

Luke stared at her thoughtfully. “This was built generations ago to keep these…the original jedi texts.” He explained slowly as he reverently lifted one of the old tomes from its resting place on the shelf. He flipped it open, the pads of his fingers tracing the calligraphic writing within. “And just like me, they’re the last of the Jedi religion.” He glanced back at Rey, his eyes turning calculating. “You’ve seen this place. You’ve seen this island.”

“Only in dreams.” Rey admitted in a muted whisper.

Luke stepped forward out of the shadows, his piercing gaze sending shivers down her spine. “Who are you?” He demanded forcefully.

“I came with Ben, Han and Chewie to find you.” Rey answered.

“Where are you from?” Luke continued harshly.

“Nowhere.” Rey answered defiantly.

“No one’s from nowhere.”

“Jakku.” Rey spat.

Luke grimaced. “Alright, that is pretty much nowhere.” He conceded. “Why are you here, Rey from nowhere?”

“I told you already.”

“Why are _you_ here?” Luke demanded again.

Rey hesitated as she felt her heart flutter in her chest. Who was this man to demand anything from her? But despite her misgivings, she answered him, the words seemingly pulled out of her by some invisible force. “Something inside me has always been there. But now its awake. And I’m afraid.”

Luke’s eyes narrowed as he studied her warily. “You need a teacher.”

“I have a teacher.” Rey said stoutly.

“You can’t mean my nephew?” Luke replied in disbelief. “That explains why you attacked me without provocation. You’re his apprentice.”

“I am not his apprentice.” Rey retorted defensively. “We’re equals.”

“Equals?” Luke’s tone was filled with derision. “Hardly. You know who and what he is. I suggest you re-think your choices. He’ll only fail you like he failed me.”

Rey felt her frustration rising toward the bitter old man in front of her. It was clear that he still wasn’t willing to give Ben a chance. He remained judge, jury and executioner. It was his actions that had driven his nephew toward the dark side, and as far as Rey could see he wasn’t taking responsibility for his part in it, or even showing an ounce of remorse. “You’ve got that backwards. It was you who failed him.”

Luke stiffened, his jaw tightening. “This conversation is over.” He turned his back on her and stormed outside.

As Rey followed him out, she found the rain had increased in intensity. The rain had lost the ambient temperature of earlier, and was now freezing and paling her skin on contact. Rey felt chaotic, wild, just like the weather. The cold droplets of water ran down her face in a thin layer, coating her eyelashes, forcing her to blink rapidly. She felt her anger toward Skywalker increasing with each passing second.

“STOP!” She yelled at his retreating back.

Luke just continued to ignore her as he ploughed through the driving rain. His sodden robes trailing across the muddy ground as she pursued him.

Infuriated by his lack of engagement, Rey pulled her quarterstaff from her back and used it to jab Luke in the back. He fell down hard on his knees, slightly winded. “I know what you did to Ben. I saw it.”

Luke scowled, rising slowly to his feet, his eyes on fire. He grabbed a metal pole as he sought to defend himself against her next lunge. They began to fight, Rey attacking and Luke parrying her wild swings. He ducked as she drove her quarterstaff at his head, using the metal poke to shove her staff to one side. Rey kept up her forward momentum, driving Skywalker further back, his attempts to deflect her attacks slowing as the rain got into his eyes, affecting his ability to see. In desperation he countered one of her forceful swings and managed to disarm her. In her anger Rey snapped, using the Force to call to the saber that was hanging from Luke’s belt. It flew into her hand and she ignited it, sending Luke scurrying backwards as he avoided its lethal blade.

“I saw what you did to Ben. You tried to murder him. Why? He’s your own flesh and blood. What sort of man are you?” Rey felt her anger ebbing away as she watched Luke shrivel before her. She shut down the saber and stared down at him, breathing shallowly. “Why would you do that to your own nephew? Ben trusted you…”

Luke regarded her warily. Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. “What do you mean you saw it?” He climbed unsteadily back onto his feet. “Answer me, child.” He demanded when Rey stubbornly refused to respond. He moved closer, continuing to scrutinise her. “I see.” He murmured to himself after a few minutes tense silence.

“What do you see?” Rey followed his every movement as he walked around her in a slow circle as he continued to assess her.

“I see a lonely, frightened child, who is so desperate for a family, that she attached herself to the first ones who took notice of her without realising what she was getting into. I expect you see Han as the father you never had. And Ben is Han’s son.” Luke sighed. “It makes sense that you are so protective of them.”

“Your opinion means nothing to me.”

“Maybe so.” Luke said. “Han is good man. And is always loyal to his friends and family. He had a difficult childhood. He was an orphan with no identity. Like you. Am I right?”

Rey turned her head to one side and breathed deeply as she tried to contain her emotions. “Shut up.” She muttered.

“I’m not saying any of this to hurt you, Rey from nowhere. I am trying to show you that you may be in over your head. Ben is….” Luke paused in his rambling and closed his eyes briefly as he struggled to contain his own guilt in regards to his nephew’s fall to the dark side. He sighed again, before opening his eyes and resuming speaking. “You need a new teacher. One who is better equipped to harness your powers and set you on the right path. My nephew is not that person. I vowed I would never take on another apprentice again, but I will consider making an exception for you and show you the true path of a Jedi.”

Rey made eye-contact with him again, this time her gaze unwavering. “And what if I fail to live up to your exacting standards, Master Skywalker?” She asked sarcastically. “Will you try to kill me, too?”

Luke’s breath was expelled from his body at her harsh rejection of his offer. Rain continued to fall in crazy chaotic drops, the gusting wind carrying them in wild vortices one moment and in diagonal sheets the next. He watched as Rey’s hazel eyes slowly left his as she focused her gaze over his left shoulder. Confused, Luke turned around slowly, only to find his nephew standing a few feet away, with BB-8 right beside him. Luke’s stomach dropped as he realised Kylo had overhead everything.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	31. Luke and Kylo

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-One-Luke and Kylo **

Water washed over Kylo’s skin so strongly that it felt as if he was in the flow of a river rather than a rain shower. An avalanche of inky black hair fell around his face, the wet strands joined the river of raindrops that ran down his pale skin. His breath seemed to stutter in his lungs before he let it go, feeling the tension coil in his stomach like an angry snake as he took in his uncle’s shocked expression at his sudden appearance. It was the downpour that awoken him from the soundest slumber he’d had in a long time. His first thought had been for Rey, and when he found her missing, he had immediately gone in search of her. The last thing he had expected to find was Rey fighting Skywalker in defence of him-his initial thoughts and feelings of elation at the magnificent sight of Rey putting all his lessons to good use as she easily overwhelmed his uncle-soon dissipated when he overheard Luke offer to take her on as his apprentice and show her the true path of a Jedi.

“Ben.” Luke said gruffly in greeting. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough.” Kylo retorted angrily.

Luke cast an uneasy glance behind him at Rey. Her expression was inscrutable. He wondered if this had been a calculated ambush on her side, but he quickly dismissed this idea when he turned around to face his glowering nephew. “You were always good at sneaking up on people.” He muttered as he drew himself up to his full height. It didn’t make much difference, Kylo still towered over him.

Skywalker was surprised when his nephew didn’t respond to his veiled taunt. Instead he found Kylo and Rey engaged in some kind of staring contest. Their eyes were locked tight on each other, almost as if they were involved in some kind of telepathic communication that he was not privy to. Intrigued by what he was witnessing, Luke remained silent as he scrutinised them carefully. He observed Kylo’s steady breathing that slowly increased in motion to deeper puffs as his face suddenly flushed. Intrigued by his nephew’s odd reaction, Luke turned his attention to Rey. His eyebrows shot up when he noticed her cheeks were as flushed as his nephew’s, her expression was troubled. As Skywalker’s gaze flitted back to Kylo, he found his nephew had a pleading look in his dark eyes. Rey’s own breathing had quickened in response, Luke saw her give Kylo a subtle nod of her head, before she abruptly broke eye contact and left them alone.

* * *

The quality of darkness shifted in the sky to almost black, but the rain kept pouring. The harsh rain obliterated the crystal reflection of the sky and turned it into a disorientated chaos. The thick, icy sheets of rain obscured Luke’s vision as he faced his nephew. This was a meeting he had hoped to avoid. Han he could handle. But Ben he could not. He wasn’t prepared to face his past demons. It was the reason he had exiled himself. By shutting himself off from the Force and the galaxy at large, he had wrongly assumed he would never have to face the consequences of his ultimate failure-Ben Solo.

All through his life Luke had learned to trust his instincts. He did so to destroy the Death Star, and did so again when he faced Vader on Bespin rather than complete his training-the latter had seemed like a mistake in the short term, but It allowed him to realise the truth and ultimately redeem Vader. Luke's insight into the truth of Vader helped return Anakin to the light and defeat the Emperor. His insight had served him well at every major decision. Then there was Ben; his own nephew, except when Luke looked at him through the Force—using his feelings, his insight—he saw only darkness.

Those same instincts he had always relied on were urging him to strike Ben down for the good of the future, in the same way his damaging trip to Bespin was ultimately a good thing, and to ignore the advice of his Jedi Masters and reach out to Vader was a good thing. When he realised his mistake; that his instincts had been clouded, it was all too late and he was filled with remorse. His trusted instincts had led him wrong, and the only way he had been able to cope with the devastating aftermath of that fateful night had been to retreat into exile in a state of emotional crisis.

Now, there was no hiding anymore. He stood with the water running freely down his face and into his already soaked robes, his heart heavy with regret. “Ben.” He said huskily. “I never wanted it to turn out this way.”

“And you think I did?” Kylo accused. “You tried to kill me!”

Luke swallowed thickly as he was once again confronted by the frightened and confused eyes of a boy whose master had failed him. “I saw the darkness, Ben.” His voice shook a little as he spoke. “I sensed it building inside you. I saw it in moments during your training. It troubled me deeply. I made a decision that night to come to your hut and confront you about it.” Luke let out a burning ball of air that was searing the wall of his lungs. He knew his explanation was inadequate, but how to explain the emotions he was feeling that night-the stomach-churning anxiety and fear that forced his hand.

“I never expected to find you sleeping.” Luke’s eyes moistened at the devastating memory. “I used the opportunity to look inside….” He paused, the edges of his lips turning white from the pressure. “I saw it, Ben. And it was beyond anything that I had ever imagined. Snoke had already turned your heart- I saw the all the pain, death, destruction, and the end to every thing that I loved because of what you would become. And for one brief moment of instinct, I thought I could stop it. The feeling passed so quickly and I was left with shame at the thought of what I had contemplated doing. Then you woke up…”

“LIAR!” Kylo yelled into the void. He felt like he had been punched in the gut. Like the wind had been knocked out of him. His uncle’s pathetic excuses sounded like lines in well-rehearsed play. “That is the same bullshit excuse you fed my father. He didn’t believe it and neither do I.”

“It is the truth!” Luke countered defensively.

“Then why bring a weapon?” Kylo demanded. “If you simply came to confront me, then why were you armed? It was the middle of the night. You had to have known I was sleeping. You wouldn’t have brought your saber if you hadn’t intended to use it.”

Luke’s complexion turned grey. “That’s not true.” He whispered, shaking his head in denial.

“You’re just too cowardly to admit to yourself that’s what you planned all along.” Kylo’s emotions got the better of him as he unleashed years of pent up fury at his uncle. “I see through your lies. Basic training in weapons etiquette-you do not draw or point or prepare your weapon, unless you intend to use it. You walked all the way to my room, while I was sleeping. You were armed in your own academy at night. You crept into my room without my knowledge. You drew your lightsaber. You ignited it- “

“No, you’re twisting everything around.” Luke cut in angrily.

“I wish I had known back then what I know now.” Kylo sneered. “My uncle-the great Jedi warrior, Luke Skywalker, is nothing but a craven coward. I idolised you, I trusted you. You were my master, my uncle-yet you treated me differently to all the other students. You were on my back all the time, trying to mould me into the shape of your own image of what a perfect Jedi should be, just so I could carry on the cursed Skywalker legacy. I put up with your lectures, your constant criticisms, you shaming me in front of the other students just because I was more powerful than they were. You were harder on me, making an example of me at every opportunity, making me feel isolated and like I didn’t fit in. You made me feel like I was a monster and undeserving of being a Jedi.”

“Ben…no.” Luke’s eyes widened in horror at the truth bombs that Kylo kept dropping on him.

“I had you in my face day after day, manipulating me into what you wanted me to be, while at night I suffered Snoke doing the same. I couldn’t sleep, I had no room to breathe. You all wanted a piece of me and I was being constantly torn apart. I was desperate to be free of the pain. But I resisted…for all those years…until the night I woke up to find you trying to kill me.”

“Ben, please, stop. I know I failed you. I know.” Luke pleaded.

“No!” Kylo thundered. “You stop! You, Snoke-everyone I trusted-twisted everything that was good inside me and snuffed it out, until I felt I had no choice but to succumb to the dark.”

It was his tears that kept his soul alive in the furnace of his pain. Kylo took in deep shuddering breaths as he felt BB-8 bump against his lower leg. He looked down as the little orange and white droid let out a low whistle, which echoed his own hollow feeling of sadness. Throughout his tormented rant, the faithful little astromech had stayed by his side the whole time. Just like Rey had wanted to. It had taken a lot of persuasion on his part to make her leave so he could confront his uncle on his own. She had put up a heated protest during their telepathic communication, but ultimately had conceded to his wishes after making him promise to come and find her when it was over so they could talk. Kylo had felt isolated and alone his whole life, he had never had anyone in his corner before. Now he had Rey, his father and the little droid, BB-8.

Even though their support couldn’t extinguish the pain of his past, he hoped it could carry him forward, until eventually a time came when that searing pain was distant enough to forget more than remember, and maybe one day erase itself from his brain completely. “Come on, BB-8. Let’s go.” He said wearily to the small droid. He suddenly felt drained of all energy. He just wanted to get back to the Falcon and be with Rey. He was done with Luke Skywalker forever.

* * *

Han swore under his breath as he tried to get the comms system to work. He and Chewie had been working on strengthening the signal for hours. Getting any kind of a signal on Ahch-to with its changeable weather systems was extremely difficult. He wanted to check in with Leia and tell her they would be leaving the wretched island without her brother. Han had been determined to drag Luke back with him and force him to admit to his wife’s face what he had done to their son, but ultimately, he had failed. There was no way that Skywalker was coming back with them, and Han found he was secretly relieved that was the case. He wasn’t sure he could put up with his brother-in-law’s company all the way back to the Resistance without doing him some damage.

“Hey, Chewie, you finished the rewiring yet?” Han yelled to his hairy companion.

Chewie let out an irritated roar. “I finished the wiring ages ago. I’m waiting for you to finish boosting the signal.” He said in his native dialect, Shyriiwook.

“Sheesh, give me a chance. Damn impatient Wookie.” Han grouched as he pressed a few buttons on the console without success.

His grumblings were interrupted by the arrival of Rey. Her shoulder length brunette hair hung in wet tendrils around her face as she climbed clumsily into the cockpit, burdened by a pile of heavy books. “Is it raining?” Han joked. Rey rolled her eyes at his lame joke as she stored the books in her backpack. “Where did you get those old books from, kid? They look like they’re falling apart.” He asked curiously.

Rey avoided looking at him directly when she answered him. “I just found them lying around.”

“Of course, you did.” Han knew she was fibbing, but didn’t bother to question her further as he finished boosting the signal. “Finally, success!” He crowed. He punched a few more buttons on the console and a holographic image of Leia appeared in front of him. “Hey, sweetheart.” He greeted her cheerfully. “We’re…”

“Han, listen to me.” Leia cut in urgently. It was only now he looked closer that Han could see her eyes were tight, strained. He exchanged a concerned glance with Rey. “Our escape from D’Qar was interrupted by the First Order fleet consisting of several Resurgent-class Star Destroyers and a Dreadnought. We managed to jump to hyperspace, but…” Leia’s jaw tightened as if in pain. “One of my officers disobeyed my direct order not to continue with any further attacks on the Dreadnought.”

“Dameron.” Han guessed; his expression grim.

Leia didn’t deny it. “We suffered huge casualties, Han. We’re now down to 400 personnel aboard just four ships.” She paused again as the enormity of what she faced overwhelmed her.

“But you’ll be safe if you reman in hyperspace.” Han said gruffly.

“We were losing fuel, Han. We were in such dire straits. Somehow the First Order fleet tracked us through lightspeed.”

“That’s impossible.” Han shook his head in disbelief as he tried to absorb this new flood of information. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re on our way back. We’ll figure something out. You just need to keep ahead of their fleet for as long as you can- “

Leia took a in deep, shuddering breath, moisture gleaming in her warm brown eyes. “Our son, Han.” She whispered.

“I know, sweetheart. I know.” Han said, his tone softening. “You can make peace with him when we get back.”

“No, Han, you don’t understand. I had no choice.” Leia sobbed. “I needed to buy the Resistance time to get to Crait.”

Han’s blood ran cold as he stared at the flickering image of his estranged wife. “What have you done, Leia? What the hell have you done?”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	32. Attack

** Halo  **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. Sorry for going AWOL and leaving you with such a tense cliff-hanger, guys._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Two-Attack **

"I would rather be a monster that believes in something, that would sacrifice everything to make the galaxy better, than be someone who sits on the side lines and watches as if it has no consequences to them." Leia said as she desperately tried to defend her position.

“Well, you just got your wish, sweetheart.” Han responded bitterly.

The last thing Han heard was a choked sob from Leia before their communication was cut off completely. He swore in anger as he hit the console with clenched fists. All at once sadness mixed with a growing anger overwhelmed him leaving Han breathless. He couldn’t believe his wife had sold their son out to the First Order in exchange for safe passage for their depleted fleet. Never in a million years would he have envisaged she would do that, no matter how desperate the circumstances. He remembered during their last fraught conversation when he had accused her of always putting the Resistance above their son and her fierce denial. It tortured Han that he had been proven right. He knew this had shattered the last chance of reconciliation between mother and son. Ben would never forgive her for this ultimate betrayal and Han knew neither would he.

Han slowly rose from the pilot’s seat and turned around to find an ashen faced Rey staring at him in disbelief. She had overheard everything. “Kid, we need to split up and go find Ben as quickly as we can so we can get off this godforsaken planet before the First Order fleet gets here.” He said gruffly.

Rey just nodded as she fled the Falcon and went in search of Kylo. She knew this was going to devastate him. How could General Organa do this to him? To her own son? Her only child? It wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair. She was his mother. Mother’s were supposed to love and protect their children. To love them so fiercely, that they would sacrifice everything to keep them safe. But instead the Resistance general had done the opposite and sacrificed her son for the so called greater good. Rey didn’t care about Kylo’s past misdeeds. He was different now. He had come home, had helped the Resistance disable Starkiller base. Shouldn’t that mean something to Leia?

Rey knew that if she was ever blessed with a child-boy or girl-that child would hold her soul in their heart, and her heart would forever be theirs. Her child would have her support for always and her guidance should they ever wish to ask. Rey would walk through the gates of hell to keep them safe and feel honoured to be given the chance. She believed every child was a sacred gift, and you nurtured them by loving them with every power you possessed-letting them explore, be adventurous, take risks... yet standing by to catch them if they fall. Leia should have been there to catch Kylo when he fell, instead she had let her obsession with saving the galaxy override her responsibility to save her son.

As the rain continued to conjure a sweet pattern on her fevered skin, Rey reached out telepathically to Kylo, but before the words could form in her mind, her worst nightmare was realised as the first of several Resurgent-class Star Destroyers blotted out the remaining light in the sky.

* * *

Kylo had taken his time heading back to the Falcon. Before he encountered Rey and the others, he wanted to take time to clear his head a little. His confrontation with Skywalker had drained him. Even though it had been cathartic in some ways, he was still left dealing with a tsunami of emotions. He wandered through the temple ruins, BB-8 following faithfully in his wake. He was grateful for the little astromech’s company, something that he wouldn’t have welcomed in the distant past. As he continued to reflect on his confrontation with his uncle, he began to ponder on what to do next. He had upheld his part of the bargain with Rey. Now it was up to her if she wanted to uphold hers. He didn’t mind if she changed her mind about investigating her past and trying to find her parents. He knew more than anyone how painful that could be. Sometimes it was better to remain ignorant. He didn’t want Rey to be hurt, but if she did decide to go ahead and pursue the truth, then he would be right there with her, ready to catch her if she fell.

As he became lost in his musings, the rain continued to fall in steady sheets. The heavy droplets brought a richness to his surroundings, each hue deepening the colours in a way that soothed his heart a little, bringing a steadiness to his soul. The grass became glossy, reflecting the light, a new bright shine to their wands, softly waving in the breeze. Kylo paused briefly, raking his fingers through the inky black strands of his hair as he shook out the water. He glanced down at BB-8; the little droid’s dome head was arched at an impossible angle as if something had caught his attention in the skies. Intrigued, Kylo tipped his head back and followed the direction of BB-8’s gaze.

As the first of several Resurgent-class Star Destroyers appeared in the grey skies the desolation Kylo felt was all-consuming. His mind became an icy wasteland, the wind howled in his soul and wrapped icy tentacles around his heart so tightly it almost stopped beating. There was no way that the First Order could have tracked him here if someone hadn’t deliberately given away his location. Even when he heard Rey’s desperate cry ring telepathically inside his mind, Kylo knew it was his mother who had betrayed him. He felt emotionally bankrupt. The was nothing left to feel, nothing left to say, nothing left but the void that enveloped his mind in swirling blackness as he watched the steady stream of Tie fighters and First Order transports begin their descent to Ahch-to’s surface.

* * *

The pitter patter of the rain created a shield around Kylo as he ran toward Rey. He wished he could see her lovely face, but she had the hood of her poncho pulled over her head to cover her saturated form. As his heavy boots splashed through one of the pools of rainwater, he heard the familiar whine of the Tie fighters as they began their bombardment of the island. He managed to lift his head up just a bit to scan the skies. An instant later, there was a blinding flash, like sheet-lightning, the ground exploded around him and he was thrown off his feet. BB-8 emitted a panicked whistle as he was blown backwards as great clods of earth scattered around him.

_“REY_!” Kylo screamed in his head as he sought to know if she was okay.

_“I’m fine. I’m fine_.” Rey rushed to reassure him.

_“Get back to the Falcon.”_ Kylo ordered her when he managed to regain his footing. He shielded himself behind a rocky outcrop as he tried to locate BB-8. He noticed the little astromech lying a few feet away, his orange and white body was covered in grime.

_“I’m not going back without you_.” Rey responded stubbornly.

Even though Kylo felt frustrated by her refusal to leave him, at the same time he couldn’t hide his elation that she cared enough to want to wait for him. _“Rey, I’m telling you to go.”_

_“No.”_

Kylo huffed out an annoyed sigh as he ducked down low to the ground and sprinted as fast as he could in BB-8’s direction in order to rescue him. He managed to reach the little droid’s side before another blast rocked the ground. He gritted his teeth, examining BB-8 quickly for any signs of damage. Apart from a crack running along one side of his dome head, the little astromech was remarkably in good shape. Hoisting BB-8 up in his strong arms, Kylo decided to make another run for it. As he fled through the driving rain, he was alarmed to see flashes of blue in the distance from where he had last spotted Rey. One of the First Order transports had managed to land and a whole platoon of stormtroopers headed toward Rey. She expertly wielded the wicked blue blade of her lightsaber as she easily deflected their blaster bolts away from her.

_“Hold on. I’m coming!”_ Kylo cried as he increased his pace. He heard BB-8 give out a faint whine. He looked down at the little droid, his expression a mixture of guilt and sorrow. BB-8 was telling him to leave him behind and go and help Rey.

“I’m a burden.” BB-8 beeped in his binary language. “You’ll get to her quicker if you put me down.”

As the rain continued to splash on his hot skin, Kylo gently placed the little droid back onto the ground. “I’ll come back for you. I promise, little one.” He ran his long fingers over BB-8’s dome head in a tender gesture of affection before bounding off to join Rey in her fight.

**_A/N-thank you for reading! I’m sorry this chapter is a little short but I haven’t had much time to right. I promise the next one will be longer. Please review._ **


	33. The Last Jedi

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Three-The Last Jedi **

Luke had surprised himself when he had offered to train Rey in the ways of the Force. When he first encountered the young scavenger, almost right away he had realised her level of power was identical to that of his nephew Ben; this had caused him to worry whether he should train another with such power, but he was also tempted by the possibility, that in training Rey, it would give him a chance to correct the mistakes he had made with Ben. It wasn’t until he realised that his nephew had overheard him making this offer, that he was confronted with another mystery-Ben and Rey seemed to engage in intense telepathic communication. This both intrigued and disturbed Luke in equal measure. His dismay had increased when he remembered the young scavenger’s ferocity with the quarterstaff she had used to attack him prior to his confrontation with Ben.

After his emotional standoff with his nephew, Luke had retreated to the cliffside outcrop to lick his wounds and try to regain his Force abilities, which he had suppressed for years after going into exile the night the Jedi temple burned. The heavy rain had become a living fabric, something he could reach his hand through, energising his renewed determination to tap into the Force. He closed his eyes and gently placed his hands on the cold stone in front of him. Almost at once he felt the pull of the Force, it swirled around him like the wild wind, lifting his long shaggy hair from his hot neck. The first thing he sensed was his sister Leia all the way across the galaxy. He sensed her deep regret, her fear, her steely determination.

“Leia.” Luke murmured as he tried to forge the same telepathic connection with his twin that he was certain his estranged nephew had developed with the young scavenger. But to his disappointment he received no direct answer from his sister, even though he knew she sensed his presence in the Force as well.

The icy grey sky restlessly grumbled above him. Luke opened his eyes again and cast his gaze to the blackened clouds which struggled to withstand the burden of the weight which the rain held. Luke felt a strange emptiness around him which was only broken by the gregarious boom of thunder. The cold icy rain pierced his pale and wet skin. He rose from his sitting position and walked across the slippery path; his posture weakened by the weight of his soaked clothes. The quality of darkness shifted in the sky, but the rain kept pouring.

The wild weather felt portentous as it chased him all the way back to his hut. He stumbled inside, shutting the wooden door firmly behind him. He needed to change his soaked clothes. Luke stood irresolute for a minute before he turned and looked at the old wooden chest that sat at the foot of his cot. He knelt in front of it and opened the heavy lid. His throat tightened with emotion as he stared reverently at his old Jedi robes which were folded neatly inside. Luke’s hand shook as he reached for them. The material felt soft under his questing fingers. It had been so long since he had worn them that he wondered if they would even still fit him. He was portlier than he used to be. He smiled grimly when that thought entered his mind. He missed the idealistic youth he used to be.

As he removed his old robes, Luke’s eyes settled on his lightsaber which was nestled underneath them. His heart lurched at the sight of his old weapon. The very same one he had wielded the night he made the fateful decision to go and confront Ben in his hut almost six years ago. Luke’s jaw flexed as remorse crashed over him. The memory of Ben’s frightened eyes would haunt him for eternity. When he had exiled himself, he had exiled his lightsaber, too. He had been determined never to wield it again…but…it called to him…like it knew it was needed.

The same ominous feeling from before overcame Luke in waves. He put it down to Ben’s presence on the island. Being made to reflect on his past actions had forced him to face some uncomfortable truths about himself. In his youth, Luke knew he had been often curious, impatient, looking ahead to the future with little regard for his present surroundings, and even a bit brash. Like his father, he was impulsive, reckless, and often had little regard for his own personal safety. However, as his skills in the Force progressed and, especially after losing a hand to Darth Vader, he had become more patient and seasoned, and was often seen as having wisdom beyond his years-although he still retained his idealistic viewpoint, willing to think the best of anyone, and believing that Vader was redeemable. He was also unable to ignore those who needed help, sometimes to the point of endangering missions for the sake of saving someone else's life. Even as a child, he had a strong sense of morality and a need to help others despite likely danger. Luke reflected on all this and wondered why he had never shown his own nephew the same care and attention he had others, even complete strangers. What had happened to the hopeful young man he used to be?

Following the end of the Empire and the death of the Sith Order, Luke recalled having great hope for the future of the Jedi, coming to believe that if a single Jedi could help bring back balance to the Force, then a restored Jedi Order perhaps could maintain that achieved peace and prevent the dark side of the Force from ever regaining its hold on the galaxy. This belief had led him to scour worlds for the remaining Jedi texts and gather a new class of apprentices under his tutelage, with the first of those apprentices being Ben Solo.

With his head filled with old regrets, Luke disrobed and carefully hung up his saturated garments. He pulled on his old Jedi robes, feeling an odd sense of pride when he realised, they did still fit after all. He patted his stomach as he did up the belt and then reached for his saber. This time he hesitated. He couldn’t stop the slight tremor running through his fingers as he wound them around the haft of the weapon and turned it on. The plasma blade shot out, illuminating the dark interior of the hut in a warm green glow. Feeling his confidence returning-Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi-emerged from his hut and looked up above him, just in time to see the first of several Resurgent-class Star Destroyers blotting out the remaining light in the sky.

* * *

“I can’t see a damn thing.” Han complained to Chewie as he peered through the heavy sheets of rain. It was a downpour as heavy as Han had ever seen. Walking through a waterfall couldn’t get any wetter. Even Chewbacca was nothing more than a silhouette in the bleak darkness.

Even though their vison was blunted by Ahch-to’s chaotic weather systems, their ears were not. They heard the faint whine of the Tie Fighters as they came around again to continue their ground assault. Han cussed under his breath as he fumbled with his blaster in the suffocating rain. Chewie’s bowcaster was already loaded and ready to fire on the emerging enemy. An explosion rocked the ground as one of the Tie Fighters fired in the distance. Han grimaced, feeling the tremors continue as the aftershock reached them. His boots slid on the muddy ground as he led the way forward, the tall Wookie acting like his shadow as they continued in their search for Ben.

The drops struck the already wet ground, pitting the surface like they were bullets from above. Han cussed again as his chilled fingers grappled with the safety on his blaster. For some reason it was stuck. He scowled, shaking the blaster, and pointing it behind him in irritation. The safety catch finally slipped, and with his finger still on the trigger, the blaster accidentally fired. An agonised scream startled both Han and Chewie as the blaster bolt found a target. To their surprise a stormtrooper appeared out of the gloom clutching his chest. His white armour was covered in bloody grime as he toppled over and fell to the ground.

Han shrugged as he broke out into a lopsided grin. Chewie rolled his eyes as he emitted an irritated whine. His friend’s luck continually surprised him. With his superior eyesight he pointed his bowcaster in the general direction of the stormtrooper’s comrades and fired. There was another pained yell, followed by a round of retaliatory blaster fire. With Han backing him up, the Wookie continued to fire back, while at the same time seeking cover to shield behind.

“Let’s hope Rey has found Ben.” Han called out to Chewie as he ducked behind a rocky outcrop.

Chewie roared his agreement as he joined his friend. His drenched fur weighed him down, there was nothing worse than rain to a Wookie. He fired his bowcaster again, growling his satisfaction as he hit another couple of stormtroopers. It was then he noticed a strange green glow in the distance. Chewbacca focused his gaze on this odd sight as he squinted through the driving rain. He waited tensely as the eerie green glow drew closer. He nudged Han to alert him to the new enemy.

“What the hell is that?” Han aimed his blaster with precision accuracy toward the green glow. He fired; his mouth drawn in a grim line as waited for the blaster bolt to find its target. But to his surprise the green glow deflected the bolt, sending it skittering away. He exchanged a dark look with Chewie before the Wookie fired his bowcaster at the green target instead. The same thing happened again.

“Will you stop firing!” Luke’s gruff voice preceded him as he emerged from the semi-darkness holding his green lightsaber aloft in front of him. “Its me.”

Han’s scowl deepened as he glared at his erstwhile brother-in-law. “What are you doing here?” He demanded.

“Trying to help you.” Luke retorted. “You should be grateful.”

“Grateful!” Han sneered as he aimed his blaster over Luke’s left shoulder and fired at the stormtrooper creeping up behind Skywalker. “The last time you tried to ‘help’ you nearly killed my son.”

“This isn’t the time to open up old wounds, Han.” Luke responded gravely. “The First Order have discovered my location. We need to get off the planet.”

“You can thank your sister for that.” Han said bitterly.

“What?” Luke frowned.

“It was Leia who directed them here. She sold Ben out to Snoke to save the Resistance. You should be so proud she’s following in your footsteps.” Han accused.

Luke scowled into the dark of almost noon, his mood a perfect mirror of the sky above. “Leia would not have made that decision lightly, Han. The fleet must have been in dire straits for her to even contemplate doing such a thing.”

“Save it!” Han rebuffed Luke’s attempts to defend his sister. “You’re only right about one thing. We need to get off-world, but we need to find Ben and Rey first.”

“Then perhaps we should stop attacking each other and get on with it.” Luke snapped as he swept past Han and took the lead. Han was about to issue another retort when he felt Chewie’s hand on his shoulder. He swallowed down his words and jerked his head in understanding, before reluctantly following in Skywalker’s wake.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Ben and Rey return in the next chapter. I thought it was a good idea to have a glimpse of what Luke, Han and Chewie were doing. Please review._ **


	34. The Last Jedi's Sacrifice

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Four-The Last Jedi’s Sacrifice **

Kylo and Rey stood back to back as they fought for their lives against the invading horde of stormtroopers. The bodies of the fallen troopers lay scattered around them, but still they kept on coming. The Tie Fighters continued to swarm above them, destroying what remained of the old Jedi temple ruins. As millions of droplets fell from a limitless sky, the wind howled in a low pitch around the force-sensitive duo as they worked to remain close to each other, knowing if they became separated it could doom them both. They both knew they couldn’t go on like this forever, they didn’t have limitless energy reserves, soon one or the other would make a mistake due to tiredness, and it could cost them dearly.

The acrid smell of blaster fire burned Rey’s nostrils as she steadied her breathing. Now wasn’t the time to give into despair. She needed to concentrate, to stay focused. She deflected another blaster bolt, but another one got past her defences and hit her on her left arm. She let out a startled yell as blood began to pulse from the open wound. Kylo glanced at her in alarm, his eyes narrowing in outrage as he slashed at the trooper responsible for inflicting harm on her. The stormtrooper screamed in pain as he was impaled by Kylo’s fiery red blade.

While they were distracted fighting, more First Order transports had landed. The ramps opened revealing more ground troops. Kylo and Rey suddenly found themselves hemmed in, the rows of stormtroopers four deep on all sides. They knew the game was up, soon they would be completely overwhelmed.

_“Rey, listen to me.”_ Kylo communicated telepathically in her mind. “ _You can escape. Its me they really want.”_

The First Order’s sheer weight of numbers meant that there was no way that they could both fight their way out and survive, but there was a chance that one of them could. And as far as Kylo was concerned, that person was going to be Rey. He was willing to risk it all on a counterattack-if he cut a swathe through the troopers on one side, Rey could hopefully slip through the gap and escape. He didn’t need to voice the plan; Rey had already seen it.

_“I’m not leaving you_.” Rey cried in her head.

_“You have to_.” Kylo pleaded. “ _It’s the only way. You’re already hurt.”_

_“Its just a flesh wound_.” Rey denied hotly. “ _I’ve had worse_.”

Kylo suspected she wasn’t lying about that, but the opened wound on her arm was still pouring blood. She was tired, her rapid movements slowing with each passing minute. _“Rey, this is the only way.”_

_“No.”_ Rey’s response was cut short as another blaster bolt found its target and zipped across her cheek, leaving a bloody trail behind.

Kylo’s heart bled right along with the new wound she had suffered. He couldn’t bear to see her endure anymore. He was resolved on his new course of action and no pleas from her would change his mind. Her life was all that mattered to him. Time seemed to slow down as they made eye-contact. Rey’s lips parted in anguish as she stared into his warm brown eyes, softer than she knew eyes could be. It was like he was trying to communicate a thousand emotions in that one look. “ _We’re okay. You and me.”_

Rey nodded, taking in every moment for her memory, knowing it was the medication she would need to survive the next few minutes. In all the world there wasn’t another like him. “ _Ben...?”_

_“I know_.” Kylo answered with a sad smile.

Rey cut the telepathic communication with him as she braced herself for the end. He may be resolved on his course of action, but so was she. There was no way she was going to leave him to die alone. If this was the end, then they would die together. She braced herself, her fingers clasping the hilt of her lightsaber in a tight grip.

Then a miracle happened…the last Jedi appeared to save them.

* * *

Luke Skywalker walked through the centre of the horde of stormtroopers, he was dressed in his old jedi robes, his green lightsaber acting like a beacon of hope for his beleaguered nephew and the exhausted scavenger. The troopers, shocked by the legendary Jedi’s unexpected appearance, held off their attack momentarily as they stared at him in awed silence. Kylo and Rey were equally as stunned. For a moment they thought they were hallucinating. Skywalker looked years younger. Gone was his former grizzled appearance. His long greying hair was shorter, returned to its former shade of brown, his beard was neatly trimmed. He was the Jedi master of old, the young, vital man that Kylo remembered from his youth.

The sound of a loud voice yelling orders at the stunned stormtroopers broke the spell everyone was under. Phasma herself appeared; her unique chromium armour was covered in sparkling droplets of rain. Her black and red cape, flying the colours of the First Order, flapped wildly in the strong winds. She raised her primary weapon-a personalised Sonn-Blas F-11D blaster rifle- and aimed it directly at Skywalker. She fired continuous rounds at Luke, fully expecting him to drop down dead in front of her. Supreme Leader Snoke would be proud. Instead Luke just paused, and turning to face her, merely dusted his right shoulder with his left hand, smiling smugly at the infuriated captain.

Incensed by this bold display, Phasma ordered the rest of the troopers to open fire on Skywalker. The stormtroopers obeyed their captain, raising their weapons toward Skywalker. Luke took the opportunity to close the gap between himself and his nephew. When he reached Kylo, he looked up at his nephew’s face, his smirk dissolving into a weary smile. “As soon as they fire, take Rey with you and make a run for it. Han and Chewie are waiting for you.”

Kylo’s tumultuous emotions overwhelmed him as he stared at his uncle. His chest tightened as the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. He felt like every muscle was giving into gravity. He was tired, weary to the bone. “I…” He couldn’t manage anymore.

“I know I failed you, Ben. I’m sorry for that. One more thing….” Luke paused, his blue eyes glistening with moisture. “You think that forgiveness is weakness, but it's absolutely not; it takes a very strong person to forgive. Forgive your mother. She loves you. Always has. Make amends with her, Ben. It’s the only way you’ll fully heal.”

“ON MY COMMAND.” Phasma bellowed to her troops.

“See you around, kid.” Luke touched his temple with his forefinger in a final gesture of farewell to Kylo as he turned around and walked toward the enemy to face them alone.

“FIRE!” Phasma roared.

Skywalker’s intervention had proved the vital distraction they needed to escape. Kylo grabbed Rey’s hand in his own and towed her along with him as the stormtroopers focused all their firepower on Skywalker. Luke closed his eyes and switched off his saber as the ground exploded around him and his image faded into nothingness.

High on the clifftop outcrop he used for his daily mediations Luke Skywalker collapsed from the mental stress necessary to sustain such a lifelike illusion of himself. As he sat down on the cliff, Luke beheld the twin suns of Ahch-To in their final descent towards the horizon. He had taken all his strength to project himself to help Ben and Rey, but now that it had been done, he could at least enjoy a few last breaths from the island that had been his home. Luke Skywalker knew that he was going to die, but it was something he accepted; death was the way of all things, even the stars. Though unsure if it was real or just a memory, Skywalker heard the familiar and comforting voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, urging him to let go, and so he did.

* * *

When Kylo looked at Rey he noticed her eyes were streaming with the tears he could not cry for his uncle. Painful emotions tightened his throat as he pulled her along with him toward the place he had been forced to abandon BB-8. To his relief he found the damaged droid shielding behind a low rock wall. Kylo reluctantly let go of Rey’s hand and hunkered down to make it easier to pick up the loyal little astromech.

“You came back.” BB-8 beeped in his binary language. “I knew you would.”

It was BB-8’s continuing faith in him that broke the dam of Kylo’s tears. Hugging the little droid to him, he pushed himself back onto his feet. In the distance they could hear the loud explosions as the Tie Fighters continued to bombard the planet’s surface. Kylo gasped, it felt like his lungs were filling with water, as if there was just less space in them for the air. Inflating them felt like pushing up a lead weight on his chest. Why couldn't he breathe? Why was it so hard?

Then he felt Rey’s gentle hand on his arm. Kylo looked down into her eyes. They were the were the softest brown infused with green, somewhere to rest and breathe. The chokehold of his emotions eased as he lost himself in her sympathetic gaze. High in the skies above Ahch-to, the Millennium Falcon, with Han and Chewie at the helm, began to make her descent toward them.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! I don’t know about you guys, but I got quite emotional writing that. Let me know how you felt in the reviews. Thanks._ ** **_😊_ **


	35. A Time for Reflection

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Five-A Time for Reflection **

Han stared at Kylo for a while with a raised eyebrow. He was sitting tensely on the bench seat next to the Dejarik table, his back slightly arched and his eyes staring bleakly at the floor. "Ben, are you okay?" Han asked cautiously. His son had been this way ever since they had escaped Ahch-to. Rey had sat with Kylo for a while, holding his hand in hers until she had been forced to leave him to help an impatient Chewie fix the damage to BB-8’s dome head.

"Yeah, fine," Kylo murmured absently, his eyes shifting to his father.

"Ben, look at me properly." Han shook him slightly.

"Don't do that." Kylo growled, his eyes changing to black instantly.

“Hey, cool that temper of yours.” Han warned him irritably as he sat down heavily beside him. “I’m just trying to help, son.”

“Sorry.” Kylo mumbled apologetically as his cheeks flushed with shame. He was used to internalizing his feelings to the point that when they did come rising to the surface, he lashed out. It was a bad habit he was trying to break. Rey, being privy to the dark thoughts floating around his head about Luke’s sacrifice, had known not to press him, instead just sitting with him in silent support, knowing that holding his hand was enough. Han, in his new role as involved parent, was still on a steep learning curve when it came to dealing with his son’s erratic moods.

Han let out a weary sigh. “You’re gonna have to help me out here, son. Its obvious something’s troubling you. I was hoping you would open up to the kid, but if you can’t…then…you can open up to me.” He offered gruffly as he sat back in his seat, watching Kylo carefully.

“Rey already knows what’s going on in my head.” Kylo felt extremely awkward discussing such personal things with his father. Their relationship had never been that way. If he struggled expressing himself, Han was even worse. They had that in common. Among other things.

“I’m not that hard to talk to, am I?” Han huffed indignantly when his son was slow to respond to his offer.

Kylo gave a very Han-like shrug. “It’s not you, its me.” He replied with a weak smile.

“That’s something you say when you’re about to break up with someone.” Han quipped.

“I wouldn’t know.” Kylo deadpanned.

Han laughed, his familiar lopsided grin taking over his face. “Okay, forget the emotional stuff. I’ll leave that to the kid, let’s talk about something much more interesting.”

“Such as?” Kylo asked obliviously.

A wicked glint lit up Han’s eyes as he punched Kylo lightly on the shoulder. His tactic had worked, even if quite not in the way he had expected, his son was out of the doldrums now. “Women.”

Kylo groaned and covered his face with his hand. “No.”

“Yes.” Han leaned closer, dropping his voice to almost a whisper. “So, Ben, when are you gonna kiss her?”

Kylo felt the tips of his turn red with embarrassment. “Who?” He muttered, annoyed that he had fallen into his father’s trap.

“Well I’m not talking about the damn droid-though I notice you’ve got a bit of droidmance going on with BB-8-I mean Rey.” Han accidentally raised his voice again in exasperation. Unfortunately, it happened at the exact moment that Rey made her entrance.

“What about me?” She asked curiously as she caught the tail end of their conversation.

Han’s grin widened while Kylo’s cheeks were suddenly kissed pink like a spring rose, the blooming colour warming his pale skin. He couldn’t summon the courage to look at her he was so mortified. “I have to…um…yeah….BB-8…I promised to check on him.” He scarpered so fast that Rey was left staring after him in confusion.

“Is it something I said?”

“Not you, kid. That was all on me.” Han chuckled.

* * *

“Fathers!” Kylo complained to BB-8 as he began to pick apart all of Rey and Chewie’s hard work in fixing the huge crack in the little droid’s dome head just so he had something to focus on.

BB-8 remained motionless in front of him as Kylo continued with his litany of complaints about Han Solo. It was only when Kylo picked up the soldering torch that the little astromech began to get nervous. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” He beeped anxiously in his binary language.

“Of course, I do.” Kylo scoffed as he switched it on, startling poor BB-8. “I’ve done this plenty of times. I was always fixing the family’s droids when I was younger, and I only set fire to the kitchen once.” He boasted proudly.

BB-8 let out an alarmed high-pitched whistle as he quickly scooted away from the soldering torch’s white and orange flame. Kylo glared at him impatiently as he called out to the little droid to come back. BB-8 wasn’t having any of it. He hastily rolled away, forcing Kylo to abandon the soldering torch so he could chase after him.

* * *

Chewbacca let out a pleased whine when he finally got the comm’s system working again. It was temperamental at the best of times but had gotten damaged in the ensuing running battle with the First Order when they escaped Ahch-to. With some skilled piloting by Han and Rey at the helm, and with Chewie and Kylo in control of the Falcon’s laser canon’s, they had managed to outmanoeuvre the enemy fleet and jump to light speed. Now they drifted in space while they did necessary repairs to the ship. Chewie flipped some switches and whined again anxiously when a radio signal coming from the Resistance immediately tried to contact them. He pondered for a while whether to answer it or go and fetch Han. He wasn’t sure his friend was ready to talk to his estranged wife just yet. He knew Kylo was in no mood to speak to Leia. Chewie loved the princess dearly, he always had, but even he was feeling ambivalent about her recent actions. He had tried to understand them, but lingering feelings of betrayal stopped him answering her hail.

“Can you put a stop to that noise?” Han complained as he climbed into the cockpit and settled in the co-pilots seat next to the tall Wookie.

Chewie growled at Han, gesturing impatiently toward the console. “Its your wife. You deal with it.” He snapped in Shyriiwook as he left Han alone.

* * *

Leia was certainly being persistent. Han glared at the offending console as he did his best to ignore the Resistance’s constant hails. He was still so angry with her, he expected it was guilt that was driving her to contact them so desperately. Han knew she must have sensed Luke’s passing through the Force. She must also sense that their son was still alive. She would be devastated by the loss of her brother, Han fought against the familiar urge to reach out and offer her comfort. Was it possible to still love someone so much, but dislike them intensely at the same time?

Han tried not to let his negative emotions swallow him and pour acid into his soul. Instead he fought for the good memories, the reasons to be kind. He fought to keep himself empathetic even as every terrible thing he had predicted had come true. For Han, Leia’s betrayal, her lack of willingness to fight for their family, and placing the Resistance time and time again above their son, counted as one of the worst things that had happened to him. And so, even as his heart still held only sweetness for the memories of who they once were, it also ached with a deep sadness that he would never see his princess in the same way again.

Han was disturbed whilst in the middle of his internal debate by Kylo’s arrival. He watched as his son settled into the pilot’s seat next to him. Kylo’s expression was inscrutable, Han couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “I haven’t answered her.”

“But you want to.” Kylo kept his tone neutral as he answered.

“I don’t know what I want.” Han admitted. He rubbed his stubbled chin tiredly.

“You can acknowledge we’re still alive and that her machinations didn’t kill us if you want.” Kylo replied succinctly.

Han frowned heavily. “Ben, this isn’t easy for me.”

Kylo ran his fingers through the inky black strands of his hair. “I know. I’m sorry.” He apologised, his tone softening. “You need to do what’s right for you.”

“No, I need to do what’s right for you.” Han countered.

Their eyes met briefly before turning away from each other again. Kylo concentrated his gaze on the blinking lights on the console. “Luke wanted me to forgive her.” He admitted slowly.

“He said that?” Han’s frown deepened.

Kylo nodded. “He said that I assumed forgiveness was weakness, but it's absolutely not; it takes a very strong person to forgive.”

Han scowled. “Same old Luke. Guilt tripping us all to the very end.”

“That’s what I thought.” Kylo murmured.

“And that’s what you were brooding about earlier?”

“Partly.”

Han’s lips thinned as his jaw tightened. “I can disable the comm.” He suggested.

“You’ll only be putting off the inevitable.” Kylo said quietly. He couldn’t bear to see his father looking so tortured, instead deciding to take the decision out of Han’s hands. He leaned forward in his seat and flicked the switch on the console to connect them to the Resistance base and Leia.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	36. Passion

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Six-Passion **

The signal was patchy- there was no holographic image this time-Leia’s voice kept fading in and out, but the desperation in her tone was clear. The Resistance was in trouble and they needed help. Again. It was only when they responded that Kylo and Han realised the message wasn’t being transmitted specifically to them but was being broadcast to all the of the Resistance’s allies. The Falcon was the only one who had answered.

“They’re sealed inside the old base on Crait with no way out.” Han’s complexion turned grey as he spoke. “The First Order got what they wanted and left them trapped inside until they starve.”

“Its Snoke’s MO-why waste essential resources finishing them off when he can let nature take its course.” Kylo said bitterly. “That way he can justify that he kept his part of the bargain. He allowed them to reach Crait, but then made sure they were confined inside the old base with nothing to sustain them in the long term.”

Han glanced uneasily at Kylo. He didn’t even want to imagine the terrible things his son had to endure under Snoke’s command. The dread crept over him like an icy chill, numbing his brain. He was going to Leia’s rescue. There was no doubt about that. He couldn’t ignore her plea for help, even after her recent betrayal. She was still his wife. She was Ben’s mother. It was his duty to help her. And he wanted to. He did. But he worried about the effect this was all having on their son.

“Ben.” Han said gruffly. “I have to go and help her. I- “

“I know.” Kylo said quietly.

“I don’t expect you to_” Han hesitated.

“Come?” Kylo finished for him.

Han sighed, rubbing a hand over his face wearily. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled.

Kylo felt hemmed in inside the cockpit. He could hear a clock ticking inside his head like a timer on a bomb. He couldn’t stop it, reverse it, or slow it down. Each tick was dragging him forward, helpless, and nervous to the allotted time. He knew he could no more avoid helping his father go to his mother’s rescue than the beating of his own heart. The dread of having to face her again in the flesh was like an invisible demon sitting heavy on his shoulders. He wasn’t ready for that. But once again circumstances had preceded him. HIs head felt a little giddy and his stomach nauseous.

“I’ll come.” Kylo said, his voice monotone.

Han’s eyes shifted to his son and he let out a long-held breath. “You sure?”

Kylo met his father’s unwavering gaze. “I want you to know that I’m not doing this for her or for the Resistance. I’m doing it for you.”

Han’s brown eyes were moist as he watched his son stand abruptly and leave the cockpit to go and find Rey.

* * *

Rey’s hazel eyes were full of concern. She laid her hand lightly on Kylo’s shoulder while he explained what had happened. Like always, her gentle touch soothed him. “You made the right choice.” She assured him. Her hand remained on his shoulder as she spoke with such a soft voice, he felt her words calming him more by the way she said them, rather than the actual words themselves.

“Skywalker wanted me to forgive her…to make amends.” Kylo looked at Rey imploringly as words failed him. “I’m not sure I can do that. Too much has happened.” It took a great deal of strength for him to admit that to Rey. He waited for her judgement, but when it didn’t come, his shoulders sagged with relief.

“Only you know if you’ll ever be ready. And if that day never comes, you’ll find a way to make peace with that.” Rey rubbed his shoulder comfortingly before taking her hand away.

Kylo lamented the loss of her touch. His breathing quickened as he maintained eye-contact. She was so beautiful. Her eyes showed her soul. As Kylo looked into her eyes he knew, all the beauty of the galaxy could not even hope to compete with hers. Even after everything she had endured in her short life, she had not let the world break her. Sure, she could cry, but she would never let them take her true self from her. She was secure in who she was. And he loved that about her…

Love.

He loved her.

Of course, he did.

He’d loved her since the moment he had first laid eyes on her. Maybe even before that…

Han’s teasing comment about kissing Rey was playing in the back of Kylo’s mind as he focused his gaze on her mouth…oh, how he wanted to kiss that mouth! He moved his head closer to hers. Rey stood frozen, from both nerves and excitement. Kylo leaned in, so his forehead rested against hers. They closed their eyes at the same time. Both their breaths shaking in anticipation of their first kiss. "Thank you," he said, in barely more than a whisper.

"For what?" Rey whispered.

Kylo never got the chance to answer. BB-8 zoomed into the room, oblivious to the obvious sexual tension, the little droid bumped into Kylo’s leg, startling him, and causing him to accidentally crack his forehead against Rey’s.

“Ow!” Rey cried as she stepped back, clutching her forehead.

“Damn…Rey…I’m sorry. Are you alright?” Kylo put his hands on the side of her face, his own hot growing hot with embarrassment.

“I’m okay.” Rey hissed through her teeth as she rubbed her forehead vigorously to ease the pain.

“BB-8, what the hell were you doing?” Kylo scolded the confused little astromech.

“You requested me to inform you when we reached Crait’s orbit.” BB-8 beeped at him in his binary language. He was feeling miffed at being yelled at for following orders.

“Right.” Kylo muttered. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Ben Solo.” BB-8 chirped merrily in response.

Kylo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Fate seemed continually to be against him. He glanced at Rey. Her cheeks were flaming. He guessed his was, too. She laughed nervously and he shrugged in defeat.

“We better…” Rey said, gesturing toward the cockpit.

“Yeah.” Kylo agreed with a weak smile as he let her take the lead.

* * *

Crait was a small salty mineral planet located in a remote sector of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories. Covered with a layer of white salt over its red soil, the planet once hosted a Rebel Alliance outpost during their early rebellion against the Galactic Empire. It was the same base the Resistance were trapped in now. Crait was rich in minerals and orbited one star. A thick crust of white-coloured salt covered nearly the entire planet surface, with red-coloured rhodochrosite base beneath. Though dominated by large salt flats, the planet also featured mountains, canyons, and deeply sunken waterways—which were possibly home to aquatic creatures.

After scanning the old Rebel base using the Millennium Falcon’s often malfunctioning scanning systems, Han concluded that there was no sign of the First Order fleet. After deploying a super laser siege canon to seal in the massive front doors which protected the outpost, under the direction of General Hux, the enemy fleet seemed to have retreated, satisfied that there was no way that the Resistance would ever break through the mountain of rock trapping them inside in both the front and rear of the old base.

“Sheesh, this scanning system is practically antique!” Kylo complained when he double-checked the results.

Han glared at his son in annoyance. No one dissed the Falcon. “I was in the midst of updating them when she was stolen from me.”

“If you say so.” Kylo muttered as he returned his attention to the less than stellar scans of the old outpost. “Our best chance is to try and break through the rear of the base.” He pointed out.

“That will mean blasting our way through.” Rey replied nervously. “The rockfall’s too substantial to move by hand and there’s a big risk of hurting those inside If we use charges.”

“You’re right.” A rare smile spread across Kylo’s face, it extended right to his eyes, leaving Rey breathless at how handsome he looked. “Are you ready to put your skills to the test, Rey?” He asked.

“How?”

“By using the Force to clear that rockslide.” Kylo revealed.

* * *

“I’m not ready for this!” Rey grumbled as she stood nervously surveying the sheer rockfall towering in front of her. The stone glinted jade-blue and dull crimson in the rising sun and curved away and away to east and west where she was standing. “Its impossible. I can’t do it.”

Kylo, standing beside her, wasn’t swayed by her doubts. He had every faith that she could move the rocks. She just needed to believe in herself. The way she had fought so valiantly against the enemy on Ahch-to had proved to him that her powers had grown substantially, and he was certain that she was ready to take those powers to the next level. “You just need to believe.” He coaxed her. “Now close your eyes and let the Force guide you.”

Rey opened one eye again and looked at him sternly. “You could help.” She suggested.

“Nope.” Kylo clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head adamantly.

“Fine!” Rey huffed as she snapped her eye shut again and extended her right arm. “Here goes.” She pictured the insurmountable rock in front of her, that giant palisade with its sheer curtains of solid rock in which bits of quartz winked dazzlingly in the sunlight. She imagined herself lifting those rocks and clearing a path for the Resistance fighters to escape.

The strain began to show on Rey’s face as she summoned the Force to aid her. She felt the energy surge through her mortal body, enhancing her physical and mental strength as she pictured the rocks rising, defying gravity, and floating in the air around her. She suddenly felt lighter than air herself and dared to open her eyes to see if it was working. A small gasp left her parted lips as she stared in wonder at the rocks suspended around her. With a small wave of her hand she parted them, causing them to move left and right of her so there was a clear path toward the base’s cave system. She had done it. She had cleared the blockage. The Resistance was free.

“Ben!” Rey cried in delight. Her hazel eyes shone with pride as she sought his praise. “Ben, I did it!” She turned her head to the right to find Han and Chewie staring at her in awed silence. Smiling, she turned her head the other way to look for Kylo, only to find him standing in front of her. “Ben.” She whispered uncertainly.

Kylo kissed her. It was a full on, open-mouthed, sexual kiss. And he loved it. He loved the way her small body immediately melted into his. The way their lips fit like two puzzle pieces. The way she relented as he played with her hair and held her tighter and tighter. When they broke away after what seemed like ages, she looked up at him, her face glowing, her eyes bright, her lips plump from…

A dark shadow passed over their heads, blotting out the bright sun. Dread owned them, pushing away their happiness like an invisible gale. Looming high above them was the Mega-class Star Dreadnought, The Supremacy, that served as the flagship of Supreme Leader Snoke and the mobile headquarters of the First Order.

It was a trap.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	37. Reclaiming Ben Solo

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Seven-Reclaiming Ben Solo **

Rey had been locked in the tiny prison cell on The Supremacy for hours. There wasn’t much space to move and her hands were shackled together. As soon as they had been captured, she had been stripped of her weapon and immediately separated from the others. She had no idea where they were and with each passing hour her panic was increasing. As soon as she was locked in her darkened cell the first thing she had tried to do was reach out to Ben through their bond, but to her dismay, she found that their telepathic communication had been cut off completely. Rey had lived most of her life alone, but over the years she had learned to adapt and lessen the pain of her loneliness. Then Ben had come into her life and everything changed. In the time they had come to know each other, he had become her refuge, her safe place. Her home.

Most people didn’t realise that lonely and alone are such very different things, so very, very different. Her brutal upbringing on Jakku had turned her into a survivor. When she was very young and vulnerable and surrounded by others who would harm and manipulate her for their own ends, she had set off, finding that isolating herself and being alone in solitude was better than being alone among those who would deliberately hurt her. Rey had learned to love her own company, she became strong all on her own, she had never needed another, not until Ben.

More hours passed that turned into days, or so she thought, it was so hard to tell the passage of time. The only interruption from her solitude were the meals brought to her twice a day by a lone stormtrooper. The trooper didn’t communicate with her in any way, just shoved the tray quickly inside her cell, before sealing the doors shut. His action was so quick, Rey didn’t even have a chance to try and use the Jedi mind trick on him that Ben had once taught her. It was difficult and humiliating trying to eat the bland food and drink the tepid water with her hands still bound in the metal shackles, but like everything Rey had endured in her life, she adapted.

Surrounded by nothing but four black walls, there was nothing else for Rey to do but stare at them. She wasted some of the time by freshening up in the sonic refresher, a tiny cupboard like room just off the main cell designed for personal hygiene. But when that was done she was back to staring at the walls, studying the marks that had been gouged into them by other prisoners- anything to pass time, to stop herself slowly going mad with worry about Ben and the others, to stop theorizing absurd meanings from the walls blank stare.

If it was the First Orders intent to leave her in solitary confinement until it drove her mad, Rey was determined they were not going to win. She knew all about waiting. Soon she gouged her own marks into the wall.

* * *

For the fourth day in a row Kylo was summoned to Snoke’s throne room. Like Rey and the others, he had been locked up in solitary confinement, but unlike them he had been starved of both food and water. With his body weakening through lack of nourishment and his face and torso sporting the heavy bruising from Snoke’s physical punishment, the young darkside apprentice was in a wretched state. He could endure Snoke’s physical torture-he was already an expert at that- it was the mental torture that was killing him. Daily, his former master mocked him about his past failures, berating him for his weakness, gleefully detailing the punishment he was inflicting on Rey, his father and Chewie for their part in his betrayal.

Today, as the stormtroopers dragged him into the throne room, he found his former rival, General Hux, already there. “Tied on a string indeed, General Hux. Well done. The Resistance will soon be within our grasp.” Snoke praised him.

“Thank you, Supreme Leader.” Hux said smoothly as a self-satisfied smile took over his pasty face. He turned abruptly on his heel, the rubber soles of his boots squeaking on the highly polished floor of the throne room. As he passed Kylo, his smug smile turned into a sneer.

As the doors of the throne room closed behind Hux, Snoke’s familiar mocking laughter assaulted Kylo’s ears. “You wonder why I keep such a rabid cur in such a place of power?” He jeered. “A cur’s weakness, properly manipulated, can be a sharp tool.” He paused, his long fingers curling into a fist on the arm of his throne. “How’s your wounds?” He said slyly.

“Its nothing.” Kylo spat, his dark brown eyes turning almost black with hatred.

“The mighty Kylo Ren!” Snoke derided him as he rose slowly from his throne. “When I found you, I saw what all master’s lived to see, raw untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special, the potential of your bloodline. A New Vader.”

Hate coloured Kylo’s soul as he watched Snoke advance toward him. It spread throughout his entire system, shutting down all other feelings and emotions. All the negative energy was racing wildly around his mind. Cut off from Rey and everything that was good in his life allowed the hatred to fester, until it came close to taking complete possession of him, poisoning his soul and driving him right back to where Snoke wanted him.

His former master towered over him; his horrifically disfigured visage twisted into a calculating expression. “Now, I fear, I was mistaken.” Snoke leaned closer, his eyes narrowing in disgust. “Yes, there it is, you have too much of your father’s heart in you, young Solo.”

The mention of Han sent rage surging through Kylo. All those years that this vile creature, this disfigured monster, had been twisting the narrative inside his mind, convincing him that he was unlovable, that his own family loathed him and thought of him as evil. It wasn’t true, at least, not in his father’s case. “I would rather have his heart than your empty soul.” Kylo hissed through bloodless lips.

“Look at you.” Snoke’s expression turned deadly as Kylo’s taunt found its mark. “You are unbalanced, under the thrall of a girl who you decided to take on as an apprentice without my authority. You betrayed me. I won’t stand for it. Kneel, Kylo Ren. Prostate yourself before your master and pay homage to me.”

“Make me!”

Fury building within him, Kylo rose to attack his former master, but Snoke quickly suppressed the attack with a surge of lightning, throwing Kylo back violently and stealing the breath from his body.

“Pathetic.” Snoke sneered as he turned his back on Kylo and stalked back to his throne. He lowered himself down and glared at his young, darkside apprentice. “Alas, you are no Vader. You are just a wanton child, sentimental and weak, gravitating toward the first young girl who could be bothered to show him some compassion.” He paused again, the same mocking laughter spilling from his lips as his eyes gleamed with mischief. “Speaking of the girl…. bring her in.” He commanded. “His father, too.”

At the prospect of seeing Rey again, Kylo could feel his heartbeat…. every single pound. He struggled to rise, his breathing shallow and hoarse with pain from the new injuries that Snoke had just inflicted on him. As the doors to the throne room slowly opened giving him the first glimpse of Rey and Han he’d had in days, he felt his heartbeat increase its rhythm. Every beat a turbulent push from within, threatening to overwhelm him. When Rey entered the room, her hands shackled by the wrists, he was relieved to see that she bore no physical injuries. Snoke had lied to him about that. Han, too, was remarkably unscathed, a split lip the only sign that he had been mistreated.

Kylo focused his gaze on Rey, drinking her in like a thirsty man craves water. He had been so lost without her. As soon as she was near, the bond that tethered them together and had been suppressed by Snoke’s machinations, sprang back into life again. It flowed strongly between them, uniting them, giving Kylo the energy and renewed determination to climb to his feet.

_“Rey.”_

_“Ben.”_

Kylo’s heartbeat was now steady like a drummer, keeping rhythm, keeping beat. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but murmuring her name was just enough. He had to be careful, he couldn’t give anything away with Snoke capable of reading his every thought, his every emotion. He knew that Rey was taking the same precautions. Her expression was closed off, indifferent as she hid behind the barriers in her mind as she sought to protect herself from Snoke’s telepathic invasion.

* * *

With a simple wave of his hand, the metal shackles binding Rey’s hands together at the wrists fell apart and landed with a clanging echo on the polished floor of the throne room. Rey winced as she rubbed the sore skin at the base of her wrists.

“Come closer, child.” Snoke coaxed her forward before his tone turned mocking once more. “So much strength. Darkness rises and light defeated. I once warned my young apprentice that as he grew stronger, his equal in the light would rise. Skywalker, I assumed wrongly.” He chuckled darkly. “My young apprentice’s defection worked in my favour. He got Skywalker killed and you are all that remains. Closer.” He leered at Rey as he used the Force to draw her toward him when she refused to move. Kylo growled, rushing forward in her defence, but Snoke used his powers to freeze him in place. Han remained locked between the two stormtroopers.

Rey’s face was set in a determined expression as she hovered before Snoke like a sacrificial lamb. “You underestimate Ben Solo and me. It will be your downfall.” She yelled at him.

Snoke laughed derisively. “Oh, have you seen something? A weakness in my apprentice. Do you think he cares for you? Is that it? Young fool. It was I who breached your minds. I stoked Ren’s conflicted soul from afar like I have done his whole life.” He chuckled again. “Pathetic child, I own him. I’ve owned him since before he was born.” He drew her upwards, propelling her with the Force so she was floating right in front of his hideous face. “And now I will bind him to the dark forever with the cruellest stroke.”

With a flick of his hand Snoke sent Rey plummeting to the floor. Just before her head hit the black polished marble, he spun her around, so she was facing forward on her knees in front of Kylo. “Bring his father.” Snoke ordered the two stormtroopers. They quickly did his bidding, pushing Han roughly onto his knees next to Rey.

“Are you okay, kid?” Han asked gruffly.

“I’ve been better.”

Han gave her one of his lopsided grins, but there was a tinge of sadness to it that brought tears to Rey’s eyes. While they were talking in low voices Snoke had produced their weapons-one was Kylo’s cross guarded saber, the other the legacy saber he had gifted to Rey. Rey’s eyes flicked to Han’s and they exchanged a worried glance.

Snoke rose from his throne again and walked over to where Rey and Han were trapped on their knees before his darkside apprentice. His eyes gleamed with wickedness as he taunted Kylo by igniting the legacy saber and directing the tip of the blue blade to the base of Rey’s throat. “It would be so easy.” He said silkily.

Kylo’s face was contorted with a mixture of anger and fear. Hate for his abuser burned in his heart so deep that it was ingrained in the tissue. Revenge was coming. It was coming real soon. He held on to that resolve as Snoke finally released him from his Force chokehold, causing him to stagger as he tried to remain upright.

“For you all is lost.” Snoke told Rey scornfully as he traced the burning blade of the saber across her skin, drawing a line of blood. “Unless….” His beady eyes returned to Kylo. “My worthy apprentice, son of darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader, you can return to my good graces. You get to choose which one lives and which one who dies-your father or the girl.”

Kylo’s resolve strengthened as Snoke used the Force to return his weapon into his hands. As his fingers closed around the hilt of his cross guarded saber- his breathing steadied, his chest rising and falling with the sedative qualities of a lullaby.

Snoke’s eyes gleamed even brighter with victory as he sensed Kylo’s growing resolve. “Where there was conflict, I now sense resolve, where there was weakness, strength. Complete your training and fulfil your destiny as Kylo Ren by striking one of them down and I will once again regard you as my faithful apprentice.”

Kylo stifled Rey’s cries in his head as he ignited his saber and approached his father. Snoke released his hold on Han, allowing him to rise to his feet. Father and son faced each other. “Somehow, I always knew this day would come.” Han said calmly as he looked directly into Kylo’s eyes.

Kylo held out his weapon in front of him. Han put his hand over the top. “I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” Kylo’s voice was full of anguish.

“You do.” Han encouraged him as a sad smile tugged at the corners of his lips. His eyes flicked to Rey, who was openly crying now. Her tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face. “It’s okay, kid.” He said gruffly before returning his attention to his son.

“Dad…” Kylo whispered, his chin quivering slightly.

“I know.” Han replied, his hand reaching for his son’s face in a tender gesture of love. He nodded. “Do it now.”

“I am Ben Solo.” Kylo roared as he reclaimed his true name. Igniting his saber, he turned away from his father and used all his remaining strength to fling the fiery weapon toward Snoke. It zoomed through the air like a flaming arrow, hitting his tormenter right between the eyes and cleaving his head in two.

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	38. A Peaceful Interlude

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Eight-A Peaceful Interlude **

“Ben.” Rey yelled as she threw her lightsaber to Ben after he had been disarmed by the last of the Praetorian guards.

The fallen Supreme Leader's Elite Praetorian Guards, had charged towards the Force-sensitive duo from all sides with the intent of avenging his death. Although the two were eventually separated and forced to contend with multiple guards on their own, they both held their own and continued to strike down one Praetorian after another, until the last had overwhelmed Ben as he started to tire. He swiftly thumbed Rey’s saber on and off, letting the blue blade pierce through the last Praetorian's head, killing him.

Ben knew he would faint when his stomach gave out. It felt like his innards were being replaced by some kind of black hole. Then nausea crept from his abdomen to his head and the world went black. Han and Rey noticed him swaying on his feet, they rushed to him, catching him quickly before he fell, taking his weight between them as they guided him toward the base of the throne so he could sit down.

Han hunkered down in front of his son, alarmed at how pale he looked, as if he'd been painted with white-wash - even his lips were barely there. “Ben, what the hell did that monster do to you?” He asked gruffly.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ben muttered. His eyesight blurred, but not because tears were welling up. Everything became fuzzy; then he saw nothing at all. His consciousness was floating through an empty space filled with a thick static. Throughout the inky space his heartbeats pounded loudly, echoing in his ears. Feeling in his body drained away until finally all was black.

“He needs food and water.” Rey told Han as she gently lifted Ben’s head until it was propped in her lap. She was familiar with the affects prolonged starvation could have on the body. It was obvious Snoke had been depriving Ben of nourishment in order to weaken him.

“That bastard.” Han swore grimly. “Right.” He said, quickly regaining his composure. “Its my turn now, kid. You’ve done enough. You stay with Ben while I locate Chewie’s cell. Together we’ll find a way out of here. Trust me.”

“I do.” Rey replied, answering for Ben as well as herself.

The corners of Han’s mouth lifted up into a smile. “Stay safe, kid. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He promised before leaving.

* * *

Ben woke up to the most beautiful sight in the world-Rey’s smiling face. As soon as she smiled, his fear and pain faded into the background. Excitement rushed through his veins. Happiness flared in her eyes at seeing him awake and for the first time in a while it began in his too. Even if the world around him continued collapsing, his heart would not get crushed as long as he was looking at her.

“Your smile is brighter than the stars.” Ben complimented her. Rey’s smile widened into a brilliant grin that had Ben beaming at her. He was feeling slightly delirious. “What’s so funny?” He asked when she started laughing.

“You.” Rey smirked. “That’s such a corny thing to say. But nice.”

Ben shrugged his shoulders slightly, but immediately regretted it when the small movement aggravated his wounds. “I’m Han Solo’s son. Corny is all you’re going to get.” He teased, despite the pain.

Rey’s lips pressed together, accentuating her dimples as she tried to hold in more laughter. “That’s right, blame the parent.”

Ben gave her a smile that was so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that it made unexpected warmth rush through her. “In this case I will. My dad isn’t great at expressing himself.”

“Yeah, you’re definitely your father’s son.” Rey agreed as she brushed a stray strand of hair from his forehead.

Ben’s smile faded as his expression turned thoughtful. “If you had said that to me a few months ago…” His words ending in a weary sigh.

Rey hated seeing him so forlorn. She stroked his hair soothingly. His soft lips stretched into another smile but didn't quite reach his dark eyes. They were lit with sadness, and the forced expression of the contrary on his mouth would have looked comical to her if it didn't make her heart feel heavy. “Things are different now.” She reassured him. “You and Han have found each other again.”

“But all those lost years, Rey.” Ben lamented. “If my mother hadn’t sent me away to train under Skywalker, my life would have been so different. I might not have lost contact with him. When I was growing up, I wanted to be just like Han. But she didn’t ask me how I felt about it, she just sent me away like what I wanted didn’t matter. Like I didn’t matter.”

“That’s a conversation you need to have with her.” Rey gave him a placating smile.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen. Sometimes I think it’s easier just to let the past die.”

“It’s easy to say that when you have a past.” Rey said bleakly. “Mine’s nothing but a blank slate.”

Gods, he could be so self-centred sometimes. “Rey, I’m sorry.” He apologised. “It was a crass thing to say.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Rey smiled weakly as she tried to brush it away like it meant nothing.

“It does matter.” Ben insisted as he struggled to rise. His skin turned ashen as he attempted to lift his head and Rey hastily admonished him for even trying. “Just stay still until Han comes back with some supplies. Until you have something to eat and drink your blood sugar levels will continue to drop.”

“I’m an idiot.” Ben groaned in defeat.

“I won’t argue with that.” Rey was back to teasing him again. “You did well to hold up in that fight with the guards.”

“It was a blur.” Ben adjusted his head on her lap so he could get a better look at her face. His eyes zoned in on her mouth. Her lips were so pretty. He remembered the feel of them under his, the way they had sent his mind into a sensual state of intoxication when they’d kissed. He noticed a slight blush rise on Rey’s cheeks and realised that thought had slid from his mind into hers. “Sorry.” He mumbled in embarrassment.

Rey reached toward his face and touched his lips lightly. The urge to kiss her grew stronger and he saw her blush deepen. He mumbled his apologies and she smiled shyly. “You’re practically shouting at me.” She explained.

“I’d blame it on my exhaustion but that would be a lie. I just really want to kiss you right now.” Ben confessed.

“You won’t faint again?” Rey asked as the precious dimples on her cheeks crinkled in another smile.

“If I do, it’s because you take my breath away, every single time I see you.” Ben responded with an answering smile.

“Ben, that is even cornier than the last one.” Rey laughed as she leaned down until her lips were hovering just above his.

“If I had a star for every time you brightened my day, I would be holding a galaxy.” Ben tried again as he lifted his head just enough to close the gap. As his lips brushed against hers, they were interrupted by the sound of rumbling laughter.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that, son.” Han chuckled as he heard Ben groan in irritation at the interruption. “Remind your old man to give you some tips when we get out of here.”

“Hey, Han.” Rey greeted him with an amused smile. “Hey, Chewie. And BB-8.” She tagged on at the end as she noticed the little droid half hidden behind Chewbacca’s hairy legs. “You got here quick.”

“When I left you, I went straight to the Falcon. It was still in the hangar bay. They only had one trooper guarding it. I found BB-8 hiding inside. It didn’t take long to locate Chewie when I got BB-8 to tap into the ship’s schematics.” Han explained hurriedly.

“Good work, BB-8.” Ben said as the little droid rolled toward him and began inspecting him for damage.

“I brought supplies.” Han’s expression turned serious as he motioned for Chewie to help him lift Ben into a sitting position.

Ben lost the colour from his face as his father and the Wookie pulled him upright. It was as if his heart had suddenly stopped beating and all the blood had run down into his boots. He swayed for just a moment until he regained his equilibrium. Han handed him a flask of water and a protein bar. Ben took them gratefully and quickly chugged some of the water down to ease his parched throat. When he’d slaked his thirst enough, he made short work of the protein bar. He was about to reach for another when Rey warned him to take it slow.

“You will be sick if you eat too fast. Believe me you want to avoid that.”

Ben heeded her warning and took a moment to let his stomach settle. He hated to think of how many times that she had been close to starvation in her life. He reached for her hand and she squeezed his in understanding.

“Do you think you can stand now?” Han asked. “I don’t think its safe for us to hang around her for much longer.”

“I’ll be fine.” Ben gritted his teeth as he leaned against Chewie as the Wookie helped him to rise. His breathing became shallow as he struggled to maintain his footing. At least his head wasn’t spinning anymore and the gnawing ache in his stomach had eased now he’d had a bite of food. “I’m okay. Let’s go.”

“Chewie, stay with him.” Han drew his blaster. “Kid, you’re with me.” He said to Rey as she ignited her saber and joined him up front.

“Where do you want me?” BB-8 beeped in his binary language.

Han refrained from rolling his eyes at the little astromech’s question. “You stay with Ben and protect him.” He suggested sarcastically.

The little lighter shot out from BB-8’s base as he gave Han his version of a thumb’s up. “Crazy droid.” Han muttered under his breath as he raised his own thumb in response. He noticed the others smirking at him and he scowled in annoyance as he led the way out of the throne room.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **

****


	39. The New Supreme Leader

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Thirty-Nine-The New Supreme Leader **

Fuelled by ambition and spite, General Hux had murdered his father with the help of Captain Phasma. He thought about his hated father now as he stood with his accomplice, Phasma, and surveyed the slain bodies of the Praetorian guards as well as that of the former Supreme Leader. He had loathed Snoke as much as he had Brendol. He was glad he was dead.

“Ren did his job well.” Armitage murmured as he looked indifferently at his fallen leader.

“Not alone. The scavenger had a hand in it, too. From the footage I’ve managed to retrieve, it was a joint venture.” Phasma sneered.

She noticed the flicker of emotion in Hux’s green eyes when she mentioned Rey. It seemed the General still hadn’t gotten over his humiliation at the scavenger’s hands on Starkiller base, when she had inadvertently turned the interrogation back on him when she probed his mind, revealing his secret fears and ambition. There had been a camera inside the cell, and Phasma had covertly viewed the footage several times, and had enjoyed watching Armitage cowed by the feral little sand rat. She had made a copy of the footage and secreted it away for future use-just in case.

“Ren’s actions should secure your position as the new Supreme Leader.” Phasma continued dryly. “Once you have revealed his treachery and denounced him as a traitor to the general populace for assassinating Snoke, the others will have no choice but to fall into line.”

“It will not be as smooth a transition as you seem to think.” Armitage pointed out irritably. “There will be some who will be very vocal about my sudden grab for power-Pryde for one and I can name a few others.”

“But they don’t have battalions of battle-hardened stormtroopers trained by me to back them up, do they.” Captain Phasma reminded him sharply. “As soon as they see the might of our army, they will quickly bow down and declare their allegiance to you. We are in this together, Hux. Just like we were the day I helped administer the poison to your father.”

Armitage’s green eyes turned icy as he glared at Phasma. “I’ve warned you before never to bring that up again. Remember your place, Phasma!”

Phasma’s loathing expression was hidden beneath her chromium mask as she bowed down in deference to the new Supreme Leader. She would acquiescence for now because it suited her interests, but one day she would see to it that Hux knew who was the real power behind the throne. She had enough dirt on him to bring him down whenever she chose. Knowledge was power and she had plenty of that. “Yes, Supreme Leader.” She murmured.

Armitage’s chest puffed up with pride as he revelled in his new title. “Say it again.” He demanded. “Louder this time.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader.” Phasma repeated again through gritted teeth.

“That’s better.” Armitage said smugly as he smoothed a stray strand of red hair back into place. He was obsessed with his appearance; believing it was a vital part for maintaining discipline, he would always wear a parade uniform designed to broadcast his authority as general. Even his posture was affected by this belief, as he would often pose in a formal parade stance. He directed his gaze back to Snoke’s bloated corpse. Armitage had respected Snoke for building the First Order out of a group of Imperial refugees exiled to the Unknown Regions, but in private he did not consider anyone other than himself as being capable of directing the galaxy's industries and nurturing their innovations, while commanding the citizens' respect. His ambition had come to fruition and he found it ironic that it was his former rival, Ren, who had played such a vital part in allowing it to come about.

“Phasma, see to it that these bodies are cleared away.” Armitage ordered the Captain as he walked at a slow pace toward Snoke’s empty throne.

“At once, Supreme Leader.” Once again Phasma was glad her face was hidden beneath her intimidating helmet. Her mouth twisted into an ugly scowl as she turned sharply on her heel and stalked out of the throne room to carry out Hux’s commands.

Armitage had reached Snoke’s throne. How often had he stood here beside Ren, being berated by their former master for their failures and inadequacies? Snoke was very selfish with his praise, only dishing it out to stoke the rivalry between him and the darkside apprentice. Despite their mutual contempt for each other, a part of Hux respected Ren and his Force abilities, although Ren had little if anything to say about Hux's fighting skills. Ren regarded Hux as a craven coward, a view reinforced when Hux, on one occasion, turned and fled from a hostile animal, leaving his rival to defend himself while he hid under the cover of tall grass. In loathing Ren, Hux took pleasure in his adversary's failures and Snoke's anger with his apprentice. 

“And now I am the Supreme Leader.” Armitage murmured as his mind drifted to the scavenger. His lips thinned as he recalled his one and only encounter with the feral little gremlin. She had invaded his mind and taunted him about his own fears and secret ambition. He remembered the derogatory way she had spoken to him, the look of revulsion in her eyes as she denounced him as nothing but a craven coward and how he would never realise his ambition of being Supreme Leader. Well, he had certainly proved her wrong!

His gloved hands curled into fists at his sides as the memory of her defiance stoked the inner fires of his resentment toward her. How he wished she were here now, just so he could lord it over her, show her that he was no coward-he was stronger, cleverer, more powerful than the failed darkside apprentice she had attached herself to. He imagined himself sitting on Snoke’s throne, the Scavenger, dressed all in black, standing proudly at the base of the throne, acting as his personal bodyguard. She would be a powerful weapon against anyone who dared threaten his rule.

Armitage wasn’t a fool. He knew Phasma was plotting to double-cross him, for now, he needed the Stormtrooper captain, but when the time came that she was no longer useful to him, he planned on replacing her with someone much more powerful. Armitage was sure that the feral scavenger could be shown the error of her ways and be convinced to join him. Others would claim it as an impossible dream, but he knew better, hadn’t he already achieved his most prominent dream already-he was the Supreme Leader. Armitage smiled to himself as he began to plot his next move.

* * *

“That was almost too easy.” Han confided to Chewie as they steered the Millennium Falcon out of The Supremacy’s docking bay with little resistance from the enemy. In fact, their whole escape felt like it had been engineered to the First Order’s advantage. Rey and BB-8 were already checking to see if a tracking beacon had placed on the Falcon, but so far, they had found no evidence that anything had been tampered with.

“I know what you mean.” Chewie whined in Shyriiwook, he re-checked their co-ordinates, knowing without precise calculations they could fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova, and that'd end their trip really quick.

“You ready?” Han checked as he got ready to jump to lightspeed.

Chewie roared his agreement. Han pushed the ship’s engines into overdrive and thrust them into hyperspace. Quick jumps into hyperspace could be unsettling to even experienced pilots, but those with the proper stamina and training could overcome this. Han and Chewie both visibly relaxed as the hyperdrive engine held up under the pressure.

“I’ll go and check on the kid.” Han said as he climbed out of the pilot’s seat. “You okay here without me for a while?” Chewie let out an irritated whine as he glared at Han. “Sheesh, alright!” Han held up his hands in surrender. “Temperamental Wookie.” He muttered under his breath when he was out of earshot of his co-pilot.

* * *

Han found Rey in the bowels of the ship replacing some burnt out wiring in the hyperdrive engine. It seemed they’d only managed to jump into hyperspace at all because of her quick thinking. Once again Han was impressed with her engineering skills. “Good work.” He praised her.

“Thanks.” Rey absently wiped a smudge of grease off her cheek before resuming her task.

“Where’s Ben?” Han asked as he began to help her replace the wiring.

“He was still out of it when I last checked on him.” Rey revealed with a worried frown as she snapped the circuit board back in place.

“He’ll recover in a few days. He’s got his old man’s stamina.” Han assured her with a small smile. As soon as they had left the throne room, Ben had collapsed again. Chewie had been forced to carry him over his shoulder while they made their escape. It would have been a funny sight if their circumstances hadn’t been so dire. “How about you? You okay?”

Rey had been trying to quell her anxiety by concentrating on her task, but even this wasn’t enough to push the worries from her mind. Like Han, she thought their escape had been too easy. No one had really challenged them and they had managed to leave the docking bay without much retaliation. She had BB-8 help her check for any signs that the Falcon had been tampered with. She expected to find some kind of tracking beacon, or that the Comm’s system had been interfered with, but there was nothing. Nothing that she could see anyway. She was also worrying about Ben. Rey wished she shared Han’s faith that his son would quickly recover from his ordeal, but none of them knew just what he had endured under Snoke’s machinations while they had been imprisoned on The Supremacy. The physical signs of his beating where bad enough, but she shuddered at the thought of the mental torture he had probably suffered as well. She knew the effects of that would come to the fore in the next few days as he processed what had happened. She was also concerned about something else.

“The Resistance were never trapped in the base on Crait, were they?” Rey finally decided it was time to confront the controversial topic. She glanced over at Han’s stony expression. “Han?” She pushed him. “They were never there.”

“Damn!” Han exploded as his hand slipped and he sliced open his palm with the tool he had been using. Rey passed him a clean rag and he took it from her, winding the cloth around his hand to stem the blood flow. Red-faced, he turned toward her. “I haven’t got an answer for you, kid. I have to believe they were there at some point. To think otherwise would mean that- “He couldn’t continue as words failed him.

“I’m sorry.” Rey apologised, feeling guilty for upsetting him. “You’re right…. they were probably there at some point and escaped by some other means.”

“No, I’m the one who should be saying sorry, kid. It’s not your fault that my family is so fucked up.” Han replied roughly. “You want the truth? I don’t know what to think. Maybe we intercepted an old message and they had already been rescued before we got there. I have to believe that, because I can’t handle the fact, that the woman I love could be so callous.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Rey agreed. “BB-8 has been working on salvaging the comm’s system. Once it’s working, we can hopefully get a message to them and find out what happened.”

“Yeah.” Han muttered, dread building in his stomach at the prospect of facing his estranged wife again. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to, because he worried the truth might kill him.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review. (Runs away and hides)._ **


	40. Anoat

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story!_ **

** Chapter Forty-Anoat **

Cracked and dry with age, Rey carefully arrayed the sacred Jedi texts in front of her. They were a collection of eight bound books and scrolls dating back to the dawn of the Jedi order. She had scavenged them from the ancient uneti tree near the first Jedi temple on Ahch-to. Han was the only one who knew she had sneaked them on board the Falcon. Rey had been meaning to confess to Ben that she had taken them, but so much had happened in-between, that it had slipped her mind. It was only now that they were on their way to rendezvous with the Resistance that she had thought about them.

It was with great reluctance that Han decided to contact Leia now that the comm’s system was fixed. He didn’t do it right away, instead taking a couple of weeks to mull over his decision as he confided his reservations to Chewie in secret. Ben was still in the midst of recovering from his traumatic ordeal on The Supremacy. His physical injuries were beginning to heal, but the psychological impact was still making itself felt. Rey had been right when she predicted the emotional fallout would occur once Ben had time to reflect on what happened.

The hours when he was awake weren’t so bad, with Rey keeping him company, he began to open to her what he had endured during Snoke’s machinations. It was when he tried to sleep that it really took its toll. Like a horror movie it played again in his mind as if somehow his brain was unwilling to let the images go and, in its attempt, to analyse them it made him relive it all over again. His nightmares would spill over to Rey through their bond so he wasn’t the only one waking up in a cold sweat and gasping for air. Feeling full of remorse that he was projecting all his anguish onto her, Ben tried to suppress everything, but the more he tried to keep it all locked inside, the more it would play all over again and he was sinking back into darkness.

It got so bad that Han, Chewie, and even little BB-8 took it in turns to stay with Ben during his vain attempts to sleep to give Rey some relief from the constant onslaught of Ben’s nightmarish memories. The three of them developed a system-when Ben showed signs of distress-they gently roused him to nip the nightmare in the bud before it had a chance to grow roots. He would awaken, his eyes glazed over with the remnants of his dream. He would stare drowsily for a few seconds until his eyelids drooped and he would fall back under from sheer exhaustion. After this he would usually manage a few hours of proper sleep before the cycle started again.

All of this was a stark reminder to Han of Ben’s early years. He remembered how often he had stayed up with his young son when Ben was plagued by troubling dreams that would cause him to wake up screaming. Han had put it down to the obligatory monster under the bed syndrome, certain that his son would grow out of it. It was only now he knew the monster had been very real. He became angry at his past self for being so blasé and blind to what was going on right under his nose back then. It then led Han to wonder just how much credence Leia had given to Ben’s continuing insomnia. She was Force sensitive herself-had even trained under Luke for a while-until she had abruptly stopped training with no explanation, only citing that she didn’t see her future path as a Jedi.

Han was beginning to suspect that she had known more than she let on about what was happening to their boy, thinking back, he reflected it was around then her attitude toward Ben began to change. Where once she showered Ben with open affection, she seemed to pull back, becoming wary, more closed off around him. It was like she was almost afraid to show him too much love in case it spoiled him or something. She also began to spend more and more time away from home as she immersed herself in her political career. It was also around that time they began to argue more frequently. As she became more withdrawn, Ben’s emotional outbursts began to increase in a clear effort to gain her attention. Unfortunately, his efforts had the opposite effect. Leia seemed to become almost afraid of him, already knowing he wasn’t going to live up to her high expectations. Han continued to wonder how often she had confided to Luke and not to him about her growing concerns regarding Ben. By the time she had decided to send Ben away to train under her brother they had begun to lead increasingly separate lives.

It was all this soul searching that had pushed Han into contacting the Resistance. He needed answers to his questions. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life wondering anymore.

* * *

Unaware of his own heart beating or the rise and fall of his chest, Ben drifted into semi-consciousness. “Rey?” He jerked awake, his hand groping for hers.

“I’m right here.” Rey promised him as she grasped his hand in her own. She was sitting curled up on a chair next to his cot, one of the Jedi texts lying open on her lap.

Ben could feel the fear in his chest waiting to take over but the sound of her soothing voice made his face relax. “How long was I out this time?”

“Four hours.” Rey replied promptly as she carefully closed the fragile tome on her lap.

Ben raised his head slightly to look at what she was reading. “What’s that?” He asked curiously.

Rey could feel the heat growing in her cheeks. By now she knew they must be beyond an attractive rosiness. “I was going to tell you…” She began hesitantly.

“Tell me what?”

“I borrowed the Jedi texts.” Rey confessed as her blush spread further over her hot cheeks.

Ben suppressed a smile. He could tell from her blush that she was trying to make excuses to herself why she had really taken them. “You scavenged them.”

Rey glared at him. “As it turns out, after what happened on Ahch-to, I saved them.”

“You’re good at saving things.” Ben squeezed her hand gently. “You saved me.”

“And you’ve returned the favour plenty of times. You could say we saved each other.” Rey countered with a small smile. “Hungry?” She asked rhetorically. She put the book away and reached for the food she had hoarded in her backpack. She handed him a piece of warm bread with a slab of melting butter and a thick, hearty slice of meat. Rey felt no need for pretentious manners and grabbed another piece of bread, ripping a chunk off with her teeth and chewing noisily. “Eat up.” She encouraged him with her mouth full.

Even though he was starving, Ben was much more restrained. After growing up in a household where impeccable manners were insisted upon at the dinner table because of the constant stream of visiting dignitaries-an unwanted side effect of his mother’s political career-he was constantly fascinated by the way Rey crammed everything she ate in thick and fast, consuming it in a matter of minutes.

“Water?” She offered.

“Thanks.” Ben took the flask from her and slowly drank some of the cold liquid.

Han chose that moment to intrude. He broke out into a lopsided grin when he found his son sitting up and eating and drinking. “You look better.”

“I’m getting there.” Ben conceded as he passed the flask of water back to Rey. “What did I miss while I was out of it?” Han and Rey exchanged a worried glance which did not go unnoticed by him. “You’ve managed to get in contact with the Resistance.” He guessed; his tone flat.

“I told you I was going to. We need answers, Ben.” Han sighed. “I’m not expecting you to come. I’m going to meet your mother alone. The others will stay with you on the Falcon.”

Ben raked his fingers through the inky black strands of his hair. Who was he to deny his father this? The two of them exchanged a long look of understanding. “Just be prepared you might not like what you hear.” He warned Han.

“Yeah.” Han muttered. He turned his attention to Rey. “Look after him, kid. Make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble.”

“As if I could stop him?” Rey joked to lighten the atmosphere.

“True.” Han agreed.

“I am here you know.” Ben reminded them testily. “Where have the Resistance been hiding all this time anyway?”

Han frowned. “They’ve made a temporary camp on Anoat.”

Ben’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “That hellhole?”

Once a sprawling city-world, Anoat served as the capital of the entire Anoat sector. However, years before the Battle of Yavin, the entire planet was gassed by the Galactic Empire, and the atmosphere became toxic and poisonous, forcing much of the population to flee from the polluted world. Some people, however, did not leave the planet. During the Galactic Civil War, the planet was under the control of the Galactic Empire and contained the sector's largest concentration of Imperial forces.

Over the years the atmosphere had cleared and small pockets of civilisation had sprung up again. Still, Anoat’s reputation preceded it. The toxic planet was the last place the First Order would expect the Resistance to hide as there wasn’t much there, which made it the perfect place to set up a temporary base while they scouted for something more permanent.

“Hell is right.” Han agreed. “I better get going.” He continued reluctantly. “See you soon.”

“Dad.” Ben said as his father was about to leave, but as Han turned to face him, he was suddenly at a loss for words. “I….” He stared at his father, his chin quivering slightly with suppressed emotion.

Han’s mouth pulled up into an understanding smile. “I know, son.” He said huskily. “I know.”

* * *

Han wasn’t really going alone. For some reason the little astromech, BB-8, had been constantly pestering him, insisting that he wanted to come along. Han had only agreed to shut the little droid up. As he entered the underground bunker leading to the temporary camp, the first person he was greeted by was Poe Dameron. As soon as the Resistance pilot saw BB-8, his face broke out into a wide grin and he was soon on his knees, hugging the little droid like an old friend. “I’ve missed you, buddy.”

Han waited impatiently for Dameron to compose himself before insisting on being taken straight to Leia. Poe frowned, irked by Han’s sharp tone. “She asked me to come and meet you.”

“I thought she would have been here to greet me herself.” Han answered dryly.

“She got caught up in a meeting. So, she sent me instead.” Poe responded curtly as he put his hands on his hips. “You seem to have a problem with me.”

Han shrugged indifferently. “Not really. You’re just one more in a long line of hot shot pilots I’ve met throughout my life.”

“Hot shot pilot!” Poe scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re the type of guy whose huge ego makes him think he’s invincible and gets innocent people killed in the process.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Poe snapped, beginning to get irate at Han’s insulting assessment of him. “You know nothing about me!”

“I think your recent actions speak for themselves.” Han threw back at him. He knew his words had found their target when he saw Poe’s face pale. Han huffed out an impatient sigh. He hadn’t come all this way to trade barbs with his son’s replacement. “We’re wasting time here. Can you take me to Leia or not?”

“This way.” Poe said in a deflated tone as he motioned for Han to follow him.

* * *

The meeting had just ended when Poe led Han onto the primary command bridge of the Raddus which was located at the bow of the ship where Leia was waiting for him. Han didn’t know what he was expecting when he set his eyes on his estranged wife for the first time since D’Qar, but on first appearance she seemed unchanged. She regarded him with the same warm brown eyes he had fallen in love with, but there was a frailness about her that hadn’t been there before. Luke’s death had hit her hard.

“Leave us, Poe.” Leia said quietly when Dameron hovered as if unwilling to leave.

“You sure?” Poe checked.

“I’m sure.” Leia gave Dameron a reassuring smile that made Han scowl.

“Okay.” Poe finally agreed. “Come on, buddy.” He ordered BB-8, automatically expecting the little droid to follow. He frowned when BB-8 didn’t budge. “I said come on.”

BB-8 let out a low whistle of refusal. “I’m staying here.” He beeped in his binary language.

Poe was about to protest when Leia intervened. “Let him stay.”

“We’ll be having words later, buddy.” Poe warned BB-8 before finally taking his leave.

As soon as they were alone Leia’s charade dropped. Her eyes shifted to the side again and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. As she blinked, they dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She bit her lip tightly in attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth; Han’s heart sank.

As her lower lip quivered words slowly made their way out of her mouth. “We lost Luke, Han.” She began, yet what followed was engulfed in the tremors.

Han found he had no urge to comfort her. If that what she was expecting she was sorely mistaken. He had come all this way and the first words out of her mouth were about her damn brother. “You can’t expect me to mourn the man who tried to kill our son. Do you even want to know about Ben?” He demanded.

Leia’s gaze snapped to his and she flinched. She stood as still as a statue as her eyes brimmed once more. For a horrifying moment Han didn’t think she was going to respond, but she proved him wrong. “Don’t attack me, Han. Of course, I want to know.”

“I hope so, sweetheart.” Han continued roughly. “Because I have questions. A lot of them. You better sit down.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review._ **


	41. Anger

** Halo **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Forty-One-Anger **

Ben tried to concentrate on the Jedi text in front of him, but the delicate scripture kept swimming in front of his eyes. His focus was scattered, so filled with nervous anticipation was he, so excited, even giddy. His thoughts danced in infinite directions as he looked at the object of his affections sitting a few feet away from him, another one of the ancient Jedi text’s balanced on her lap as she studied the complicated diagrams drawn on the brittle pages within. Rey felt him looking and raised her eyes to meet his, giving him a shy smile before quickly glancing away again. A tingling feeling spread throughout his entire body and he felt the corners of his own mouth lifting in response. He was going to kiss her again. He’d been wanting to do it again for ages, but they were never alone, and it hadn’t felt appropriate, not while he was still recovering. He was feeling much better now. There was no credible reason to wait. Ben glanced in Rey’s direction to find her doing the same. An adorable blush coated her cheeks as she felt his intentions through their Force bond.

Rey’s breathing quickened in expectation of what was coming next as she put the book to one side. Ben did the same. He kept his eyes trained on her the whole time. Rey took in his cheekbones, full lips and pale skin. She just wanted to eat him up. There was something so sexy in that vulnerable look of his. His voice was warm and rich when he spoke her name. Rey’s heart rate sped up before slowing when he said her name again in the same seductive tone. Words failed her in that moment and she stayed silent-Ben was waiting for a response but she wasn't focusing on his words. She blushed again and his look of bafflement changed into the sweetest smile she had ever seen…

Then Chewie lumbered into the room.

* * *

Ashen faced, Leia sank into one of the vacant chairs. Her hands were shaking as she reached for the pot of Caf.’ “Do you want some?” She asked as a way to prolong the inevitable.

Han shook his head impatiently as he remained standing. “All I want is some damn answers. Leia, look at me.” He demanded.

Smart, fierce, and headstrong, Leia had always been able to accomplish whatever task she imposed on herself, putting duty before her personal needs time and again in order to succeed. She always gave as good as she got which was one of the many things Han had always admired about her. In spite of her self-discipline, Leia also had a fiery temper which she often struggled to control and was eager to prove herself, to be recognized for what she could do instead of for her title of nobility. Others who didn’t know her very well often thought she had a perceived coldness about her. Leia hadn’t been immune to the gossip among some members of the Rebel Alliance in her youth, who had nicknamed her the ice princess. None of them had ever understood the great burden she faced in service to the Alliance and she often felt that Han never had either.

Despite her commitment to Alderaan's values of pacifism, Leia believed in self-defence and in fiercely fighting for the galaxy's freedom. She never cared much for being royalty, for her priority was to help those who needed her, and not wealth nor recognition. Always a woman of action as a result of her upbringing, eager to get things done and making positive differences in the galaxy, Leia was also impatient- a trait she shared with her brother, Luke. She was a strong woman, though in more private moments she admitted to herself that some of that strength was fuelled by desperation and even hatred at times.

Leia immensely regretted that her actions on the first Death Star indirectly led to the destruction of her homeworld. She was conscious of the fact that she alienated many people because of that. Constantly questioning whether or not she did the right thing, she came to the realization that she would willingly sacrifice those innocent lives again if it meant stopping the Empire. In her eyes, the cause was greater than any one person, even those closest to her.

“It wasn’t a decision I made willingly, Han.” Leia said carefully as she concentrated her gaze on the cup of hot Caf’ in her hands. “We suffered huge casualties- “

“Because of Dameron.” Han cut in angrily.

“Han.” Leia cautioned him. “Placing individual blame isn’t getting us anywhere.”

“I’ll place the blame where its deserved and so should you.” Han retorted.

“I can assure you Poe is already punishing himself enough. He’s drowning in guilt.”

“I don’t see it. He still comes across as the same cocky ass I met on D’Qar.” Han said bitingly. “You are always defending him. In your eyes he can do no wrong. Why can’t you do the same for Ben?”

“Those two things are completely different.” Leia argued. She sighed, closing her eyes briefly as she rubbed her aching temples. “Can you please sit down so we can talk about this reasonably.”

“You don’t get a say in what I do anymore, sweetheart.”

“Like you ever listened to me in the past.” Leia offered up a small smile but Han wasn’t buying it. He gave her a warning look and her smile slowly faded with it. “We were losing fuel, Han. We were never going to reach Crait if I didn’t cut a deal.”

“You should never have made the deal in the first place.” Han was so filled with frustration he could hardly keep still. He began to pace. “I don’t care what dire straits the damn Resistance was is in. You should never have offered up our son as a sacrifice.”

Hurt flashed in Leia’s brown eyes. “I knew that you were all with Luke and he would protect you. I trusted that with Luke’s help things would work out in our favour. I never envisioned this outcome….” Renewed grief for her brother overwhelmed her and she bowed her head to stem the tide of her tears.

“You put your faith in the coward who exiled himself after he tried to murder our son!” Han was incredulous. “What kind of twisted logic is that?”

“Will you stop saying that!” Leia cried as her control slipped. “Luke would- “

A low whistle coming from BB-8 interrupted what she was about to say. The little astromech had become increasingly distressed the longer he listened to Han and Leia arguing. He couldn’t take anymore. Ben Solo was innocent. He had been right there when Ben had encountered his uncle on Ahch-to and he had recorded everything. BB-8’s dome head swivelled backwards as he projected a holographic image of Luke and Ben’s confrontation on that wild stormy night on Ahch-to right in front of a startled Leia.

_“I never expected to find you sleeping.” Luke’s holographic image flickered slightly, but the reflection of the tears in his eyes was still clear. “I used the opportunity to look inside….” He paused, the edges of his lips turning white from the pressure. “I saw it, Ben. And it was beyond anything that I had ever imagined. Snoke had already turned your heart- I saw the all the pain, death, destruction, and the end to everything that I loved because of what you would become. And for one brief moment of instinct, I thought I could stop it. The feeling passed so quickly and I was left with shame at the thought of what I had contemplated doing. Then you woke up…”_

Leia’s world shattered.

* * *

Chewbacca wedged himself between the frustrated young lovers as he tipped up a bag of salvaged parts from the Falcon and urged them to help him sort them into two piles-one pile for those that could be recycled, the other for those that couldn’t be used again. “You should be an expert at this.” He said to Rey in Shyriiwook, a low rumbling growl followed this statement which she took to be his version of laughter.

A flash of annoyance lit up Rey’s eyes which she hid behind a fixed smile. “Yeah.” She muttered. “The scavenger knows what she’s doing. Watch me go!”

Chewie caught her irritated tone and he growled again with laughter. “I was teasing.” He said.

Rey’s eyes softened and her smile turned more genuine. “I know.”

“You know more than any of us. I saw that quick fix you did on the hyperdrive. Very impressive.” Chewie continued, completely oblivious to the lingering glances of frustration that Ben and Rey were exchanging behind his back. “We could turn this into a game. Whoever salvages the most parts will get a bigger portion of the rations tonight.”

“Sounds fun.” Ben responded through gritted teeth.

Chewie grinned at him, showing all his teeth. He put one hairy arm around Ben and pulled him closer, using his other to muss up the inky black strands of his hair just like he used to do when Ben was a toddler. Rey put a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter at the sight of Ben’s disgruntled expression as he glared at his surrogate uncle in annoyance. “Not cool.” He complained loudly.

The amused Wookie released him and gestured for him to start sorting through the parts. “Han made me promise to keep you out of trouble.” He laughed. “And I always keep my promises.”

* * *

Leia clasped her shaking hands together. Han, still fighting the urge to comfort his distraught wife, distracted himself by pouring them both some Caf.’ He passed a cup to Leia; she took it gratefully and took a small sip.

Han finally sat down and faced her. “You’ve heard the truth from Luke’s own mouth. You can’t stay in denial anymore. Ben never did any of it, sweetheart. He wasn’t responsible for burning down the temple. He never killed those students. In fact, he tried to save them.”

It took a while for Leia to answer him. Her face was drained of all colour. Instead she gulped down some more Caf.’ “When Luke died, I sensed it through the Force. He was contented and at peace.”

Han withdrew from her, angered that she was talking about Luke again. “Well how convenient for him!” He thundered. “What about Ben?”

Leia visibly flinched at the sound of his loud voice. It was rare that Han got so worked up that he actually yelled. She stared at him for a minute before slowly rising to her feet in order to put some space between them. “You need to give me a little time to process everything.”

“What is there to process?” Han demanded. He was beginning to wonder if she was in shock. He made sure to lower his voice when he next spoke to her. “I have more questions.”

“Not more, Han.” Leia turned her back on him and rubbed her forehead as a headache began to form over her eyes.

Han ignored her entreaty. “That distress signal you sent out. Were you ever trapped?”

Leia’s back remained rigid. “It was a ruse sent to fool the First Order. We deliberately caused the rockfall. We concluded that if they thought we were trapped inside the old base, then they would withdraw, thinking we were as good as dead anyway. It worked. They left and we were able to escape.”

“They didn’t leave.” Han revealed bitterly. “We picked up that distress call. And like a fool I came to rescue you. And for my sake Ben and the others decided to come with me.”

“What?” Leia whirled around to face him. She was definitely in shock now. “You’re here now. You weren’t captured. You’re all okay.”

“I am here. We were captured. And not all of us are okay.” Han levelled his gaze with hers, his eyes stormy.

Leia’s hand flew to her throat as she remained rooted to the spot a few feet away from him. “Ben?” She whispered.

“Killed Snoke.” Han said pointedly as he slowly rose to his feet. “So, you see, sweetheart, our son not only risked his life to destroy Starkiller base-he risked it to save the kid, he risked it to come and save you and the Resistance, he risked it again to save me, after Snoke spent days starving him of food and water, and torturing him both physically and mentally. He even risked it to save the droid.”

BB-8 let out a series of urgent beeps in his binary language as he retold Ben’s epic save when he was damaged on Ach-to. “He came back for me.” He said stoutly.

“Our son is a hero and still you won’t acknowledge him.” Han snapped. “Instead you’ve replaced him with that hotshot pilot. What’s going on, Leia? I look at you and I don’t see the woman I fell in love with.”

Han’s taunt found its target. Leia visibly shook as if he had slapped her. “I have not replaced him with Poe. You’ve been absent for most of Ben’s life. Don’t come here and start acting like father of the year. You have no idea about anything.”

“You’re right. I don’t. And I admit I wasn’t there for Ben when he needed me the most. It’s my biggest regret.” Han admitted as he took a few steps toward his wife, his frown deepening. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the past these last few weeks and there’s a lot that just doesn’t add up.” He stopped in front of Leia, his hands finding their way to his hips. “Everything changed after you cut short your Jedi training with Luke. You were different. Not just with me. But with Ben. Don’t try and deny it. What the hell happened, Leia? What changed?”

The walls that held Leia up, which made her strong just... collapsed. She finally showed some emotion at last as she fell against Han. He caught her just in time, her hands clutched at his jacket as her tears soaked his shirt. Han didn’t embrace her, just listened quietly as she spoke through her tears. “On the last night of my training with Luke, while we were sparring, I had a vision and sensed the death of our son if I were to complete my Jedi path. Even though Luke hoped I would resume my training later on, I gave him my lightsaber to convince him otherwise, asking him to pass it on to a promising student someday.”

Leia suddenly found herself being pushed away by Han. She stared up at him with glassy eyes filled with tears. He looked upset and angry and it was all directed at her. “Han?” She questioned uncertainly.

“And you kept this all to yourself!” Han exploded. “You sensed the death of our son and you never said one fucking word to me about it. What else have you been keeping from me, Leia? Tell me right now.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading. Please review. There was too much angst in one chapter. I had to separate it._ **


	42. The Last Goodbye

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

**_Welcome aboard the angst train…._ **

** Chapter Forty-Two-The Final Goodbye **

Ben could drink in Rey’s words like a fine Alderaanian wine and enjoy feeling tipsy. He watched her like she had the stars in her hands and soft petals at her feet. All she was doing was talking to Chewie, animatedly describing some of the better parts she had salvaged on Jakku, but to him everything she did was magical. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. He wanted to…. a slow blush bloomed on Rey’s cheeks and Ben realised he must have been shouting his thoughts at her again. He felt his own face heat up in response and he ducked his head in embarrassment. He didn’t think he could go in like this for much longer before he spontaneously combusted.

Rey wasn’t faring much better, though she was managing to conceal her thoughts, unlike Ben. Her skin tingled whenever he gave her that special look, the one that sent her heart beating so erratically in her chest that she was surprised the whole galaxy couldn’t hear its thunderous beat. She was completely infatuated by the sound of his voice, his serious lips and shoulder muscles. It was all her brain could dwell on. She liked him. A lot. And she wanted to be with him. But Chewie…

_“Hates anything romantic_.” Ben’s voice suddenly popping up in her head made Rey jump. Chewie looked at her oddly, but Rey just shrugged, smiling weakly as she went back to sorting through the parts. 

_“What are you talking about?”_ Rey was completely bewildered. Why was Ben telling her he hated anything romantic? That was disappointing. She had quite enjoyed those corny lines he had fed her when they were trapped in Snoke’s throne room waiting to escape.

_“Chewie.”_

_“Huh?”_

Ben let out an exasperated sigh. “ _All Wookies hate romance. It’s a well-known fact.”_

_“It is? Does Chewie know?”_

_“Of course, he knows! He’s a Wo…Oh, very funny. You were being sarcastic.”_

“ _Maybe._ ” Rey smiled, earning another odd glance from the Wookie himself. “ _You never know, Chewie might be the exception.”_

_“He’s not. I remember all the disgusted expressions he used to pull when I was little, when my parents used to…you know…get all mushy with one another in front of him.”_ Ben revealed.

_“Like the one you’re pulling now_.” Rey answered with a sly smile in his direction.

_“You’re enjoying this_.” Ben complained as they continued their telepathic conversation while Chewbacca remained oblivious.

_“I can’t help it_.” Rey snickered and quickly put her hand over her mouth to stifle it. If she carried on like this much longer, poor Chewie would think she was going crazy. She took a deep breath to compose herself. “ _As fascinating as all these facts about a Wookie’s love-life are, where exactly are you going with this?”_

Ben shifted awkwardly as the tips of his ears turned an adorable shade of red. Luckily, they were hidden beneath his thick black hair. “ _I was thinking about those corny romantic phrases I said to you….”_

_“If I had a star for every time you brightened my day, I would be holding a galaxy.”_ Rey remembered with a shy smile. “ _I like corny_.”

_“You do?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“My dad wasn’t impressed.”_

_“Well lucky for Han you’re not quoting love sonnets for him.”_

_“You want a love sonnet?”_ Ben asked in alarm.

Rey rolled her eyes. “ _No, the corny one liner will do_.”

_“Good! Because that’s all I’ve got_.” Ben said, relaxing again. “ _I’m sure if I say enough of them it’ll annoy Chewie so much that he can’t wait to get away from us.”_

_“You are very devious, Ben Solo.”_

“ _I try.”_ Ben quipped. He suddenly saw Chewie looking suspiciously in his direction and he felt the heat rise in his cheeks. He heard Rey laugh quietly and he shot her an irritated glance. She smiled, giving him two thumbs up behind Chewie’s back. “ _You’re not helping, Rey_.”

_“Sorry_.” Rey apologised, even though she was not sorry at all. She was having way too much fun.

* * *

Growing up in the early days of the rebellion, Leia had become skilled at keeping secrets, a trait beneficial to the greater good but detrimental to those around her. To those closest to her she came across as an enigmatic individual, never revealing more than was necessary to her allies in order to ensure their protection. She was so used to keeping those secrets, that even after marrying Han, she had failed to break the habit of a lifetime. She only shared with him things she thought he needed to know or could handle.

“Whenever things got hard your first instinct was always to run.” Leia pointed out bitterly as she reached for a napkin and dabbed it delicately over the tears still running down her cheeks. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to handle it if I told you. So, I dealt with it alone. Just like I’ve had to do all my life.” She sat down heavily in a vacant chair, seemed almost to fall into it with weariness. “You were finding fatherhood so challenging. I felt like I couldn’t talk to you about it.”

Han hated hearing her damming assessment of him. His jaw flexed and he raised his forefinger at her. “That’s not fair.” He said gruffly. “I always came back. And you were always pushing me away. Your causes and your political career came before everything.”

“That’s not true!” Leia denied hotly as her own fiery temper came to the fore. “I am not going to rehash old arguments with you, Han. We both made mistakes when it came to Ben. The past is the past. I refuse to go over old ground.”

“Hell no, sweetheart. You are not going to wriggle out of it this time.” Han argued. “I told you I want answers and you are going to give them to me.”

“What else do you want to know?” Leia sat primly in her seat, legs crossed and fingers intertwined over one knee as she matched Han’s fiery glare.

“Did you know about Snoke?” Han demanded.

His question extinguished the anger in Leia’s eyes. She averted her gaze from him, her eyes skimming the floor. When she spoke, her voice was quieter, with a meekness that wasn’t usually part of her speech pattern. “I knew it from the beginning.”

“What?” Han exploded. “You knew that bastard was trying to groom our son and said nothing to me!” He was beyond livid. He began to pace restlessly as he tried to calm himself down.

“I decided to keep it a secret from you because I hoped I was wrong and that it wasn’t true.” Leia admitted in the same meek tone. She touched her aching forehead again and bowed her head. “When I was carrying Ben, I could sense his presence through the Force. He was like a pulsing living band of light.” She closed her eyes as old memories weighed heavily on her. “Sometimes that light dimmed, and other times it was thrust through a vein of darkness. It concerned me.”

Han stopped pacing as he stared down at her bowed head. This was the first time Leia had ever gone into such depth with him about this part of her pregnancy. It made him inexplicably sad and angry at the same time.

“I was certain Ben could sense my emotions, too. Whenever I was going through a particularly stressful time during my pregnancy, I would feel him twist and turn inside me, troubled by something I could not feel or understand.” Leia raised her head and opened her eyes again as she stared sightlessly ahead. “I think Snoke was affecting him even then, but I didn’t make the connection until much later.”

“Did Luke know about this? I remember him visiting soon after Ben was born, then leaving very abruptly to go on some secret mission. There were a lot of people who were suspicious about his sudden departure. Did he leave because you confided in him about your worries about Ben?” Han asked.

Leia’s gaze shifted to his guiltily before darting away again. “Yes, I confided my fears to Luke. He had always told me to trust in my instincts. He had felt a disturbance in the Force himself. We could both feel that Ben would be strong with the Force-that he was born with equal potential for good or evil. Luke went to investigate…”

“So, you cut me out again? You and that damn brother of yours!” Han cussed. “I’m Ben’s father. I should have been the first person you told. It was my place to protect our son, not Luke Skywalker! But you robbed me of that chance because you didn’t trust me.”

“I didn’t know Snoke was always watching Ben from the shadows and didn’t realise immediately what was really happening. I hoped I could sway Ben, turn him away from the dark side without having to involve you… You have wonderful qualities, Han, but patience and understanding were never among them. I was afraid your reactions would only drive him farther to the dark side. I thought I could shield him from Snoke’s influence, and you from what was happening. It’s clear now that I was wrong.” Leia pleaded. "I just never should have sent him away. That's when I lost him. That's when I lost you both."

Something vital tying him to Leia broke inside Han. It was only when he looked at the tears streaming down his wife’s face that he realised it was his heart. “You were afraid my reactions would drive our son further to the dark side? I can’t believe you thought that. I never realised your opinion of me as a husband and as a father was really that low.”

“Han.” Leia whispered in anguish. “I- “

Han raised his forefinger to quieten her. “Don’t! Just don’t say anymore! It just makes me wonder why you ever married me in the first place? It turned out I was just as much of a disappointment to you as our son.”

“That’s not true!” Leia sobbed. “Han, don’t twist my words.”

“Ben and I never really stood a chance, did we?” Han continued bitterly. “Not with Saint Luke around. I mean look how that turned out. And for the record, sweetheart, you lost me a long time ago.” Han turned and began to leave, motioning for BB-8 to follow him.

“Han!” Leia cried to his retreating back. “Come back! Please….”

Han stopped, turning slightly to glance over his shoulder at her one last time. “Goodbye, Leia.” He said with a simple finality before walking away.

* * *

“Your hand looks heavy. Let me hold it for you.” Ben quipped as he reached across Chewie to make a grab for Rey’s hand. The Wookie pushed his arm out of the way in annoyance. Ben smirked, pleased that his first lame attempt was already getting on Chewbacca’s nerves. He decided to up the ante. “See my friend here?” He leaned over the bristling Wookie to speak to Rey. “He wants to know if you think I’m cute.”

Rey was having trouble holding her laughter in. She emitted a very unladylike snort that startled poor Chewie. He eyed her critically, clearly worried she was having some kind of fit.

“Guess what I’m wearing?” Ben beamed at Rey. “The smile you gave me.”

Chewie growled as he turned his laser like stare onto Ben.

“You must be the speed of light, because time stops when I look at you.” Ben looked deep into Rey’s twinkling eyes and sighed dreamily. “I wanna go swimming but I’m drowning in your eyes.”

“STOP!” Chewie whined in Shyriiwook as he put his hands over his ears.

“Something wrong?” Ben had to press his lips together to stop himself from laughing. Rey was barely holding on.

Chewie took his hands away from his ears and looked at Ben in disgust. “I have never heard such terrible pick up lines. You’re worse than Han. How could you make Rey’s ears bleed with such corny one-liners?” He gave Rey a sympathetic glance before returning his attention to Ben. “It’s lucky for you that us Wookie’s happen to be the most romantic species in the galaxy…”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	43. Ambush

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Forty-Three-Ambush **

Few people knew that Chewbacca had a mushy heart under his warrior exterior. Known for his great strength, bravery and loyalty, he often served as Han's conscience in their smuggling endeavours, which made people trust him more than they did Han. However, he was also known for his stubbornness and dislike of losing. He would also show no qualms about using violence as a means to achieve his goals, but he certainly never killed without a good reason. The one thing that had kept him going through the last few years of his life was the deep friendship he maintained with Han, which included the extended Solo family. He loved them as if they were his own. Losing Ben to the darkside had affected Chewie just as much as Han. To see father and son reunited was a blessing that the secretly sentimental Wookie thought was just an impossible dream. Now his surrogate nephew was back and Chewie had the pleasure of watching Ben fall in love just like Han had with Leia. And just like he had mercilessly teased Han about his feelings for a certain princess back in the day, the incorrigible Wookie was getting a kick out of doing the same to Han’s offspring. Watching Ben fumble in his attempts to woo the young scavenger was a constant source of entertainment and Chewie was enjoying every minute.

Chewie persuaded the very reluctant would-be lovers to sit cross-legged on the floor so that they were facing each other. “All Wookie’s believe the eyes are the windows to the soul. Our eyes don’t lie: they show the truth, no matter what face we put on, in any situation. The best way to get to know someone is to look them in the eyes and observe what they reveal about their emotional state. Our eyes, just like our body language, give us away, and they say more than we ever could with words. As a matter of fact, most of the information Wookie’s convey is through nonverbal language, which ranges from simple looks to all of the movements we make.” He lectured in Shyriiwook.

Ben huffed out an impatient breath. _“This is ridiculous_.” He complained to Rey telepathically. _“We’re not Wookie’s_.”

“ _Just humour him. He’s just trying to help_.” Rey answered in an attempt to soothe Ben’s frazzled nerves. The truth was she was enjoying getting a sneak peek into the Wookie’s mating rituals. She thought the way they communicated their non-verbal attraction to each other was quite romantic in its own way. You could lie with words but your eyes would always reveal the truth.

Chewie was just warming up. “Wookie’s believe when you meet someone for the first time your eyes can convey a wide range of feelings: trust or distrust, security, contentment, fear, and so on. We know this is true because it happens every day: it’s as if we were capable of transcending our bodily limits and reaching the other’s soul through their eyes.”

_“Next he’s going to tell us to stare deep in each other’s eyes.”_ Ben said sarcastically to Rey as he pre-emptied what Chewie was about to say.

“Now look into each other’s eyes.”

_“Told you_.”

_“Hush_.” Rey quietened him. “ _I’m trying to listen. I can’t hear with you complaining in my head. I’m finding this so fascinating.”_

_“Really?”_ Ben asked in disbelief _._ He let out a startled yell when his surrogate uncle cuffed him on the back of the head to pay attention.

“Look into Rey’s eyes.” Chewie ordered.

“I’m looking. I’m looking.” Ben muttered resentfully as he rubbed the back of his head. He carefully focused his gaze on Rey. She was biting her lip, eyes everywhere but on him. Sensing her sudden nerves, Ben moved closer, completely forgetting about Chewie, he looked deeply into her eyes. "Hey, it's me."

Rey’s breathing became softer, the pensive look melting into a smile as soft as the morning light. Her body squirmed just a little as her muscles relaxed. There was something about that gaze of his she knew she would never find in another man, as if in that moment their souls have made a bridge. That's all they ever needed to really connect, just eyes, no words. From afar Ben’s eyes looked brown, but as he shifted closer, she noticed the colour of honey. They were bright and liquid warm, sprinkled with light brown specks, framed by beautiful thick lashes. Rey felt her breathing quicken again as she paused, noting the power behind those breath-taking eyes. The power as reckless as a tornado. His eyes flashed. For a moment they looked golden with warmth... and then his lips were engulfing hers.

“The soul can speak through the eyes, and kiss with a look. That concludes the lesson for today, kids.” Chewie laughed to himself as he made a quick exit. He heard Han coming up the ramp and went to meet him. His amusement quickly died when he caught his first glimpse of his friend. While Ben and Rey were in the first flush of love, Han’s was clearly at an end. Chewie felt a sharp pain in his chest as he made eye-contact with Han and saw the heartbreak in his eyes. Chewie looked away; he couldn’t bear it. Instead he lumbered back inside the Falcon and went straight for their stash of Corellian whisky. When he resurfaced, he found Han sitting slumped at the top of the ramp with his head in his hands. Sitting down heavily next to Han, Chewbacca poured them both a generous shot of the strong whisky into two glasses. Mutely, he passed one to the devastated man next to him.

Han’s hand shook slightly as he closed his fingers around the glass. “Ben?” He asked gruffly.

“Is fully occupied right now. We won’t be disturbed.” Chewie promised in Shyriiwook. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Han shook his head as he threw his head back and drained the glass. He held it out for Chewie to fill up again. The two old friends didn’t speak as they drank the whisky and watched the sun set in the sky as fresh colours brushed upon an artist's canvas, as if those rays were destined to create a great work of art - one given to those open to capturing simple moments in the soul.

* * *

“Wow.” Rey’s voice wavered, exhilarated from the tension between them.

Ben gently leaned in and kissed Rey again. His lips brushed hers. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. They pulled apart, taking shaky, shallow breaths. Unable to hold back for long, Ben held Rey's head in his hands and pulled her into another fiery and passionate kiss. Her hands worked their way around his body, feeling each crevasse, each line along his perfect physique. Likewise, Ben’s hands ventured over her soft curves, exploring. They pulled apart again just to breathe and opened their eyes. They stared at each other, deep into each other's eyes. Ben's full of wonder and love, Rey’s full of curiosity and passion. No words were spoken but their feelings were communicated just the same.

Ben kissed her and the world fell away. This time it was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. Rey ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.

Maybe Chewie was right all along-Wookie’s really were the most romantic species in the galaxy after all.

* * *

Ben hadn’t seen his father return to the ship-he had been preoccupied with other things. Han and Chewie were sleeping in and he decided not to disturb them. He sat in the Falcon’s cockpit, smiling to himself as he thought about his magical night with Rey. They hadn’t ventured beyond kissing and holding each other, though they both knew it was only a matter of time before they took it further. And it would be somewhere much more romantic and definitely out of earshot of his father and his devious Wookie companion. Ben knew that Chewie hadn’t been oblivious as he made out, but he wasn’t mad at his surrogate uncle, in fact he wanted to thank him. His advice worked after all.

Rose had contacted Rey out of the blue, asking if she could come to the base before they left so they could catch up with one another. Rey had happily agreed and had eagerly set off to meet her friend still drunk from Ben’s kisses. Ben was missing her already. He idled the time away while she was gone by doing pre-flight checks. BB-8 kept him company, though Ben thought the little astromech seemed uncharacteristically subdued. It made him wonder what had gone down between his parents. He tried not to dwell on it, but the longer he remained on his own, the more he began to brood. Feeling restless, he left the cockpit and wandered around the ship. Han and Chewie were still not awake and when he accidentally stumbled on the empty bottles of Corellian whisky he understood why. If his father had drowned his sorrows in drink it must have been bad. Ben felt anger swell in chest toward his mother and he threw one of the empty bottles at the opposite wall. It shattered into pieces and Ben became upset at his loss of control. He glanced down in shame at BB-8 as the little droid began to try and clear up the shards of glass.

“The sooner we get out of here the better.” Ben muttered. He hunkered down beside BB-8 and began to pick up the larger pieces of broken glass. BB-8 let out a low whistle of agreement as they continued to work together to clear up the mess in companionable silence.

* * *

When Rey arrived at the meeting point inside the base, instead of Rose, she only found Ben’s mother. She immediately knew she had been duped into coming there on her own. There was no way she would have willingly come to talk to the Resistance General otherwise. Instantly on her guard, Rey looked at Leia warily. “I was expecting Rose.” She said carefully.

“And you’ll see her soon enough.” Leia promised with a small smile. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. She adjusted her grey cape tighter around her petite frame as she studied Rey critically. “I think its time you and I talked.”

“I have nothing to say.” Rey replied sharply.

“But I have plenty.” Leia’s response was equally as sharp. “So, I suggest you sit down, young lady. This could take some time.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	44. Proposition

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Forty-Four-Proposition  **

Leia tried to soften her voice as she motioned for the young scavenger to sit down. “This isn’t an ambush, Rey.”

“It certainly feels like one.” Rey answered sceptically. She studied the older woman warily, remembering their last encounter on D’Qar.

“Caf’?” Leia offered as she sat down gracefully and reached for the pot of Caf.’

“No.” Rey refused curtly.

“You don’t like it?” Leia asked as she attempted to make small talk with the wary young woman sitting opposite her.

“No.”

“I agree it is an acquired taste.” Leia said conversationally as she poured some of the warm coffee into an available cup. “Can I offer you a cup of Gatalentan tea instead?”

“No.”

Leia ignored Rey’s brusque tone and sat back in her chair, holding the cup daintily in one hand as she took a sip of the warm liquid. While she was doing so, she took the opportunity to study Rey’s body language. The young scavenger was tense and clearly uncomfortable in her presence. The girl had been practically monosyllabic so far. Leia knew she was going to be a tough nut to crack. “I’m guessing you have a very low opinion of me right now.” She began carefully.

Rey just shrugged and stayed mute. She wasn’t going to make this easy for Ben’s mother. Leia might be held in high regard by many, but as far as Rey was concerned, she had behaved appallingly toward Ben and Han. She came across as cold and unforgiving. Her many burdens were no excuse for the way she treated her family. It was going to take a lot of persuasion on the older woman’s part to make Rey change her initial impression of her.

“I’m not asking you to like me, Rey.” Leia continued bluntly. “However, I hope we can at least come to an understanding.”

“I would rather you get straight to the point, General Organa.” Rey finally broke her silence. “I only came here to spend time with my friend, not to indulge in some passive aggressive confrontation.”

After years of political game playing, Leia had mastered her fake smile, right down to the wrinkles around her eyes. “I can see why Han is so fond of you. You speak your mind. I like that.”

“I call it as I see it.” Rey replied bluntly.

“And what do you see?” Leia asked imperiously.

Rey saw in Leia’s eyes, the windows to her soul, the fear and deep regret that was hidden behind the fake smile and confident façade she showed to the rest of the galaxy. Instead of giving the damming assessment that Leia was expecting, Rey asked a question of her own instead. “I’ve never been interested in diplomacy. I am no politician. Why don’t you just tell me what you want from me?”

“You would have made a terrible politician.” Leia conceded. She abandoned the rest of her favourite drink by putting the cup of Caf’ to one side and focusing her laser like stare onto Rey. The next words out of her mouth were the last thing the young scavenger was expecting. “Okay, I’ll put my cards on the table.” Leia paused as if for dramatic effect. “Rey, I want to train you in the ways of the Jedi.”

* * *

The Resistance General’s offer had stunned Rey into silence. She stared at Leia incredulously, convinced that she had misheard. Leia used Rey’s silence as an opportunity to expand on her offer. “During our last encounter with the First Order our numbers were severely decimated. We are now down to only four hundred personnel on just four ships.” She revealed. “A lot of the Resistance are losing hope. With Luke gone- “Leia’s voice faltered for the first time and she averted her gaze as she fought to compose herself. After a few deep breaths she turned her attention back to Rey. “When he died, he took the last beacon of hope with him.” She reached for Rey’s hands and looked at her imploringly. “I think you can relight that beacon of hope again, Rey. I really do. I trained under Luke for a time. I can train you. With a new, young, powerful jedi among the ranks it will aid in our recruitment efforts once word spreads that you are fighting with us.”

It was as if the impact of Leia’s words had knocked every wisp of air from Rey’s lungs, and she sat there struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything. She remained unable to speak, totally stunned as the words kept bouncing around inside her skull. This was Luke all over again. She was just glad that Ben wasn’t around to overhear this time. Rey quickly locked her mind down in order to stop Ben sensing her distress and the reason behind it. The knowledge would devastate him.

“I know this was the last thing you were expecting, Rey.” Leia coaxed her gently. “But, together, just think what we could achieve.”

“I can’t believe you are asking this of me.” Rey exclaimed as she finally regained use of her vocal cords. “Ben is my teacher.”

Leia’s only response was a slight tightening around the eyes. “I am aware of the impact this will have on my son. I don’t make my offer lightly. I hope in time he will come to regard this as the best decision for both of you.” A sharp pain in her temple caught Leia off guard as grief overwhelmed her. She was exhausted. What she wouldn’t give for just a moment of relaxation, of safety; a few days or even a handful of hours of knowing everything would be all right. The fate of the entire galaxy was resting in her hands and she couldn’t afford to lose her focus with worry about Ben’s reaction. Even though she hadn’t trusted Han to handle their son in the past, she had no choice but to trust that he would be able to do so now.

“General Organa?” Rey frowned when she noticed Leia grimace as if in pain. “Are you well?”

“I’m fine.” Leia murmured, giving Rey another fake smile of reassurance. “It’s just life. This endless war. That’s why I…we…. need your help.”

“Why did you stop training with Luke?” Rey’s abrupt question completely blindsided the older woman.

Leia took a moment to consider her answer. “Another life called to me.”

Rey looked back at Leia thoughtfully. “How did you know?”

“A feeling. Visions. Of serving the galaxy in different ways.”

“But how did you know those visions were true? In my opinion you and your brother relied on these feelings and so-called visions far too much. They only served to lead you in the wrong direction and to make terrible decisions, impacting on the ones closest to you-Ben most of all.” Rey snapped as colour rose in her cheeks.

Rey’s accusation caused Leia’s face to fall. In that instant her skin became greyed, her mouth hung with lips slightly parted and her eyes were as wide as they could stretch. “I knew.” She replied tersely. “And for the record I treasured each moment I spent with my brother.” Leia added. “The things he taught me . . . I use them every day. Once you touch the Force, it’s part of you always. Over the years, I continued to learn, to grow. There were times on the Senate floor when the meditations I’d practiced with Luke were the only thing that kept me from causing a galactic incident.”

“It seems your time on the Senate floor also taught you to avoid answering direct questions and owning your mistakes. Luke failed Ben. You failed Ben. Why would I want either of you to teach me anything?”

“You speak of things you know nothing about, young lady.” Leia was losing patience. “You have no idea of what Ben was like growing up or the sacrifices I made to protect him from the growing darkness inside him. Why do you think I immersed myself in my political career? It was all for him. To try and build a better, safer galaxy for him to live in. And, yes, I know it came at a cost to my family life, but I thought it would all pay off in the end. I sent Ben away to train under Luke because I truly believed he was the best person to harness his potential and to temper the darkness growing inside him. My biggest regret is sending him away. Despite what you may believe, I love my son.” Leia cried passionately.

Rey pushed her chair back and rose unsteadily to her feet. “You claim to love Ben, but still you put the needs of the Resistance above his emotional wellbeing and push him away. I don’t understand you. I can’t believe you even contemplated asking this of me. It would be the ultimate betrayal in his eyes. I said no to Luke when he asked me and I’m saying the same to you, General Organa. You need to find someone else to be your poster girl.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	45. In the End

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews._ **

** Chapter Forty-Five-In the End **

The aching in Han’s skull ebbed and flowed like a cold tide, yet the pain was always there just like the pain in his heart. He splashed cold water on his face just to feel something refreshing and instantly wished he could wash his brain free of the toxins too. His throat felt like sandpaper, it hurt to swallow. “I’m too old for this shit.” He thought to himself as he swayed on his feet. The last time he’d gotten this drunk was the day he found out about Ben defecting to the First Order. His brief thought of Ben seemed to conjure his son up in front of him. The overhead lights snapped on and his eyesight struggled to cope with the sudden brightness. He fumbled with the buttons on his shirt as he muttered oaths under his breath.

“Is Chewie up yet?” He asked Ben gruffly.

“Of course not.” Ben answered as he reached out to steady his father when Han swayed on his feet again. “I’m surprised you can’t hear his loud snores reverberating around the whole ship.”

As soon as Ben mentioned the snoring, that was all Han could hear. “Damn Wookie.” He complained as he put his hands over his ears to muffle the deafening sounds. With his brain still struggling to recover from the previous night's abuse he had no option but to sit down again. He groaned as he took his hands away from his ears to nurse his pounding head instead. “Where’s the kid?” He asked.

“She’s gone back to the base to spend some time with her friend Rose.” Ben revealed as he poured some water into a fresh glass and passed it to his father.

Han took it and chugged the water down quickly just like he had done the night before with the whisky. He looked up at his son’s face, expecting to see judgement, but to his relief only found concern. “I didn’t mean to get so wasted.” He admitted guiltily.

“It helps to numb the pain for a while.” Ben took the glass back from Han and held out his hand to aid his father to rise. Han gripped it, groaning again when the axe buried in his skull decided to take another bite out of his sore head as Ben pulled him back onto his feet.

“I didn’t think you touched alcohol.” The room swirled around Han a little before becoming stationary again.

“Not regularly…but sometimes it was a necessary evil.” Ben confessed as old remembered pain crossed his handsome face.

Han felt his stomach lurch at the expression on his son’s face. “Snoke?” He guessed. “He beat you.”

Ben averted his gaze. “His punishments weren’t always mental; they were physical too.”

A profound sadness dominated Han; fatigue engraved on his careworn face. He reached up and gripped the back of his son’s neck, drawing Ben’s head down to his level so their foreheads were touching. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” He said hoarsely.

Ben nodded, swallowing a few times as he fought to regain his composure. Han let go of him and he straightened, wiping his eyes quickly with the back of his hand to clear away the moisture. Han did the same and for a while they both just stood there in awkward silence, feeling uncomfortable at their rare display of emotion.

“Shall we?” Han was the first to speak.

“Yeah.” Ben mumbled as he led the way out of Han’s berth.

* * *

Hearing a Wookie snoring could be quite disconcerting, it was like the sound of a gigantic buzzing insect getting sucked backwards into a black hole. Han and Ben looked down at Chewbacca as he lay on his back asleep as still as a brick. Apart from the gaping mouth, the only movement was the rise and fall of his hairy chest.

“He looks peaceful, doesn’t he?” Han mused.

“It seems a shame to wake him.” Ben agreed as he cradled the pitcher of freezing water in his hands. He watched Chewie’s chest rising and falling rhythmically, listened to his slow breathing, his rapid eye movement indicated he was dreaming. It must be a pleasant one by the huge grin on his face as he slept. Another loud, rumbling snore rocked the ship, causing both men to wince. “Do you want me to do it?” Ben offered.

“Nah, allow me.” Han said as he took the heavy pitcher from his son and poured the freezing water over the comatose Wookie’s face.

* * *

Ben helped his father down the Falcon’s ramp as they ran away from the irritated Wookie chasing them. Chewbacca growled ferociously, the thick fur on his face dripping with water. Ben and Han collapsed against each other at the foot of the ramp, wheezing with laughter. Chewie threw his long arms up in the air, launching a torrent of expletives at them in Shyriiwook for their childish behaviour.

Han’s familiar lopsided grin took over his face as he looked at his son. He couldn’t ever remember hearing Ben laughing like this before. His laughter was like ripples in a still pond after a stone has been thrown in. It radiated outwards like a great big wave of hilarity. Han doubled up with laughter himself, his amusement chasing away the shadows of his heartbreak as Chewie continued to rail against them from the top of the ramp. It took a while for their hysterical laughter to die down, by the time it did, Chewie had already gone storming grumpily back inside the ship.

The two of them took a moment to recover their breath, sitting beside each other in quiet contemplation. They looked toward the base, melancholy settling on their shoulders as their thoughts turned toward Leia. Han’s mind became clouded with grey as he mulled over his last conversation with his estranged wife. He had failed to change her mind. In doing so he felt he had failed Ben all over again.

“I tried, son.” Han confessed. “I really did try.” There was that dang moisture in his eyes again. Han rubbed his face angrily with his hands.

“I know you did.” Ben kept his gaze focused straight ahead to give Han time to compose himself again. “I never really expected anything to come of it.”

Han sighed, his calloused fingers grinding into the dirt by his feet. HIs melancholy was like a cloak he couldn’t simply let fall to the floor, and though he held it so tight he couldn’t find the warmth he needed, yet it clung. It was the anchor to his feet, the reason he couldn’t find the surface or the sunshine, that feeling of soft joy that lives in old memories of the woman he loved.

“How much longer do you think the kid will be? I don’t really want to hang around here for longer than we have to.” He asked Ben.

“I’m not sure.” Ben murmured. His gaze turned inward as he reached out to Rey through the Force. He expected to feel the familiar bridging of their minds as he attempted to communicate with her telepathically.

Nothing.

A flicker of panic rippled through him when his first try ended in failure. He could feel her on the edges of his consciousness but it was like she had deliberately placed an invisible brick wall between them. He couldn’t understand why. Fear thoughts began to loop around his mind until there was no room for anything else. “I’m going to look for her.” He said to Han as he pushed himself back onto his feet.

Han looked at him in concern. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. She could be anywhere inside the base.”

“I’ll find her.” Ben said with certainty.

Han stood up, swaying slightly as the aftereffects of his hangover continued to plague him. “What if you run into your mother? Are you prepared for that? We can wait.”

Ben shook his head as his apprehension increased. His breath got caught in his chest and he knew his fear was gaining on him. He breathed shallowly to find a way to release the tension as he moved away from his father. He couldn’t understand why Rey had cut him off unless she was trying to shield him from something. Instinct told him it was something to do with his mother. He hardly heard Han calling after him as he walked at a fast pace toward the Resistance base.

* * *

_“You claim to love Ben, but still you put the needs of the Resistance above his emotional wellbeing and push him away. I don’t understand you. I can’t believe you even contemplated asking this of me. It would be the ultimate betrayal in his eyes. I said no to Luke when he asked me and I’m saying the same to you, General Organa. You need to find someone else to be your poster girl.”_

The words had barely left Rey’s mouth when she felt Ben’s commanding presence coming toward her through the Force. By the ashen look on Leia’s face, she could see that his mother felt it too.

Ben stepped out of the shadows and strode over to Rey, reaching for her hand. She looked anxiously at his face, which was devoid of all emotion. “We have to go.” He said to her.

“Ben.” Leia stepped forward. She was apprehensive, but unafraid. Ben’s abrupt appearance was the jolt she needed to know she was walking into a storm, but not so much that her steps would be hindered. If anything, it gave her the courage she needed to make them, knowing that few good things in this life came without a cost to the self. “Ben.” She said his name again, raising her voice an octave as his eyes flicked to hers. “Its time.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	46. The Truth of Family

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on this story._ **

** Chapter Forty-Six-The Truth of Family **

Ben regarded Leia with an emotional indifference which frightened her. She thought his eyes were devoid of any feeling, not realising that he was using it as a valid form of defence against any further emotional abuse. He was just trying to protect himself from more pain.

“Ben.” Leia steadied her nerves as she tried again. “It’s time.”

“Now you decide you want to speak to me.” There was still no flicker of emotion in his face or his voice as he continued to look at her with the same indifferent expression.

The general consensus was that love was the opposite of hate, but Leia thought differently. Hate was just a warped version of love itself. Hate shows that once there was love and that love is still possible. The opposite of love was indifference, just like her son was displaying now, the coldness in his dark eyes sent shivers down her spine. His stare was as cold as the void, showing an emptiness of the soul that cares not if the other suffers.

“Ben.” Rey spoke his name softly and Leia saw his mask slip as he turned toward the young scavenger. His brown eyes grew warm with feeling-open and loving. _“You overheard what she said?”_ Rey continued telepathically. “ _I’m worried about you.”_

_“I don’t want you to worry_.” Ben answered her calmly. “ _This has been a long time coming. Go and find your friend and spend some time with her. We’ll be leaving soon.”_ He reached out and cupped her cheek lovingly. Rey leaned into his touch, closing her eyes briefly. His thumb caressed her soft skin for a few seconds before he reluctantly let go.

_“Remember, you’re not alone_.” Rey reminded him as she took a step back.

Ben gazed deeply into her eyes. They shone a brilliant hazel. When she was happy, they were warm, lively, and sparkled with mirth. When she was downcast or anxious, they seemed to grow dim and dark. The smooth green on the edge contrasted beautifully with the amber colour in the middle, capturing his heart all over again every time he got lost in their beauty. _“I know. I’ll see you soon.”_

* * *

When Rey left, she took all the warmth in the room with her. Mother and son were finally alone. Leia looked up at her son, now that Rey was gone the same veil of detachment had been drawn over his face. Leia felt her heart clinch in her chest. The heavy weight of her sadness sat inside her like a germ seed of depression, just waiting for the right conditions to grow, to send out roots to choke the last bit of hope out of her heart. She drew in a shaky breath, not even sure she wanted to begin this conversation anymore. “You show great compassion toward her.” She said eventually, meaning Rey.

“Compassion!” Ben scoffed. What he felt for Rey wasn’t just compassion. It was love-a deep, abiding love that couldn’t be defined with mere words. To be around her was like finally not being alone. He’d been isolated his whole life…and then suddenly Rey had entered his life. What he felt for her was beautiful, mysterious and magical.

“You show a deep empathy to her that I’ve never seen you show to anyone else. I am hoping you can extend that same empathy and compassion toward me…just for a while.” Leia asked with a small smile that didn’t extend to her eyes.

Ben looked at her closely. Behind the masked smile she was wearing on her face, there was sadness and fear. She was still afraid of him. Even now she was scared of how he was going to react. He noted the way her eyes darted anxiously left and right, repeatedly as a single sound passed by, checking for danger that would not come. He couldn’t blame her for being unreasonably afraid. He remembered the terrified look she used to have on her face when she experienced one of his emotional outbursts when he was a young child. She had convinced herself it was the darkness manifesting itself inside him. Time hadn’t changed her mind.

Leia tried to push through the painful memories of her past, totally unaware they were showing on her face. “I failed you, Ben.” She confessed with difficulty.

“Are you really going to follow the same script as Skywalker?” Ben questioned impatiently. “You can save your breath. I’ve heard it all before.”

“Harbouring so much hatred will only end up hurting you in the end.” Leia replied sharply. “You cannot deny the truth that is your family.”

“But you did! For years!” Ben accused.

Leia faltered as her complexion turned ashen. “I thought I was protecting you by keeping the familial connection to Vader a secret.”

“You were protecting yourself and your precious political career you mean. Let’s not lie to each other, General Organa.” Ben countered bitterly. He couldn’t say _mother-_ the word was like poison in his mouth. She hadn’t been a mother to him in years.

“I met Darth Vader. You did not.” Leia’s petite frame quivered with anger as she responded to his taunt. “I hated him! I still hate him! That bastard made me watch my home world die. He froze Han in carbonite and sold him to Jabba the Hutt just to get revenge on me for daring to defy him. He cut off my brother’s hand, and nearly took his life. And he tortured me. He tortured me until I screamed and shook and thought I would die from the pain alone.”

“And that’s who you see every single time you look at me.” Ben said tonelessly.

“That’s not true.” Leia’s denial was weak. “I was afraid for you. I sensed the darkness inside you. I sensed it even when I was carrying you. I loved you, but worried that I couldn’t protect you from the same darkness that consumed Vader.”

Ben felt intensely weary. He was so tired of rehashing the past. He remembered Han’s easy acceptance of him-there was no blame, no judgement. He had believed him straightaway with little explanation and had been supportive of him ever since they reconnected. And therein lie the difference between his parents. He shouldn’t have to fight so hard for his mother’s love, it was clear that love had been tainted since she sensed the darkness inside him. In her eyes he was another Vader. She had readily admitted she still hated her birth father. “You cannot deny the truth that is your family.” He said, turning Leia’s words back on her. “You should take your own advice and stop harbouring so much hatred, you only end up hurting yourself, General Organa.”

Leia’s breath caught in her throat as she gazed at the tall young man standing in front of her. He looked so much like Han in that moment that it tore at her heart. She clasped her hands together to stop them shaking. “Ben, I don’t want to cause you anymore pain.” She whispered mournfully. “I’m sorry.”

“But you will. For the Resistance you will.”

Leia pressed her lips together firmly as her gravity-drawn shoulders painted a picture of her heart. She had been fighting for the same cause, albeit under different names, for most of her life. She would see this fight through to the bitter end. As she strengthened her stance and her resolve, Ben could see the new walls she had built between them in her eyes, leaving him isolated on the other side. She had made her choice and it wasn’t him. Hiding back behind his indifferent mask, he asked her what she really wanted from him.

“I am asking you to be selfless and let Rey stay here with me so I can train her myself.” Leia said boldly. She inhaled through her nose as she sent her awareness into the void. Peace and calm were key. She could sense the girl had darkness inside her, just like Ben. But Leia would not make the same mistakes she had with her son. She would not give in to fear this time. She sensed that Rey could be a great leader someday, and she would be if she had anything to do with it. “The Resistance needs a spark of hope and I believe she can provide it. I know I am no Jedi master but I learned from the best.” She continued, referencing her training with Luke. Leia knew she was first and foremost a politician and a general, but she had accepted her Jedi legacy and embraced it as best she could over the intervening years. “I think that’s what Rey needs: training in the Force not from a formal Master, but rather someone grounded in the everyday minutiae of life and survival. Obi-Wan failed to keep Vader from the dark side. Luke failed the same way with you. I will not fail Rey. I promise you, Ben. I’ve seen the compassion you hold for her. Let her stay with me so she can reach her full potential. You know it’s the right thing to do.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	47. The Meaning of Love

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on this story._ **

** Chapter Forty-Seven-The Meaning of Love **

Rey and Rose had a warm reunion. Rose’s bright smile immediately put Rey at ease and the two girls hugged each other tightly. “I’ve missed you.” She said.

“I’ve missed you, too.” Rey replied as she reluctantly let go of her friend. “Its been too long.”

“It has.” Rose agreed as she sat down and motioned for Rey to sit down beside her. There was something so genuinely sweet about Rose that made Rey feel so comfortable around her. It was something in the way she smiled, a warmth, a genuineness, a softness of spirit she just couldn't pass up. “I’m so glad you’re here to stay this time. We’ve got so much catching up to do.”

“Staying?” Rey’s own smile faltered. “I’m not staying, Rose.”

Rose wore a puzzled expression. “But that’s the impression General Organa gave me. I thought that’s why you went to see her, to discuss joining the Resistance.”

“I didn’t go to see her. She ambushed me.” Rey answered sharply. “I only came here to spend time with you.”

“But I thought- “Rose’s flow of conversation died in her throat as she realised that she had been duped into luring Rey onto the Resistance base under false pretences. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” She apologised guiltily.

Even though she hated to see her friend so upset, Rey was secretly relieved that Rose hadn’t been complicit with Leia’s machinations. She could see the newfound knowledge that Rose had been used as bait to draw her onto the base alone was hurting the young engineer. Rey knew Rose revered the Resistance General. Even though she was angry at Ben’s mother, she tried to keep her tone neutral for the sake of her friend. “It was wrong of General Organa to involve you like that, but let’s not dwell on it. I want to know how you’ve been.”

Rose stared into Rey’s eyes, determined to figure how she was really feeling. She was certain that Rey was hiding her true emotions. She watched as Rey contorted her lips into an awkward smile, but her cheeks were not so compromising. They showed great reluctance to be moulded falsely. When Rey finally averted her gaze, her smile fell lifeless. “I know the General went about it in the wrong way, but won’t you consider staying with us?” Rose said earnestly. “The Resistance is like one big family. Even though I still miss Paige desperately, I don’t feel so alone anymore. Finn’s here, too. You’ll love it. I know you will. And General Organa is such a great leader-she’s so compassionate and wise.”

“I’m sure she is.” Rey responded dryly. Clearly, they had differing views of Leia Organa. If Ben’s mother had a compassionate side, she kept it well hidden. Rey wisely kept her thoughts to herself on that score as she gently refused Rose’s entreaties to stay. “It warms my heart to know that you’ve found a place here, but its not for me. I’m happy where I am.”

“With Kylo Ren?” Rose asked incredulously.

“You mean Ben Solo.” Rey corrected her curtly.

The air was suddenly so brittle it could snap. The two girls stared at each other in silence for a minute as they reached an impasse. It was Rose who decided to break the deadlock. “I don’t want to fall out with you over a man. Despite what I think of him, its your choice.”

“You don’t know him like I do.” Rey let out slow controlled breath and attempted to relax her shoulders. “And yes, it is my choice.”

“Then I’ll accept it.” Rose countered with a small smile. She reached out and clasped Rey’s hand in her warm one. “Promise me you’ll stay in touch wherever you decide to go. And if you need me- _for anything_ -you know I’ll always come when you call.”

* * *

The water sat coolly in the glass before Ben, condensation beading the outside. Leia had poured them both a glass after delivering her killer blow. Ben ran his forefinger across the top of the glass as he used the temporary distraction to compose himself. He could see his mother looking at him intently out of the corner of his eye, clearly thinking he was actually considering her awful proposal. She was in for a rude awakening if she thought she was going to get what she wanted.

“Ben.” Leia did little to hide her impatience when he was slow to respond. “I need to know your answer.”

“Rey said no. You already have your answer.” Ben kept his tone even. He could already feel the fear in his chest waiting to take over. It sat there like an angry ball propelling him towards an anxiety he just didn’t need.

“Her decision was clearly influenced by concern over your reaction. She’s loyal to a fault. I like that about her. It’s a good trait to have. But in certain situations, you have to put personal feelings aside and think of the greater good.” Leia continued tersely.

“Rey is loyal.” Ben conceded as he ran the tip of his forefinger across the rim of the glass again. He kept his gaze focused on this repetitive action, fighting to keep calm under the heavy weight of his mother’s emotional blackmail. “She’s also a strong person and knows her own mind.”

“Ben, will you stop avoiding the real issue here.” Leia’s smouldering stare boring into his back made him turn his head in her direction. When their eyes met, she tried to soften hers in a vain attempt to get through to him. “I’m appealing to your sense of compassion, stop holding Rey back and give her a chance to realise her full potential.”

Ben turned his back on Leia again and curled his fingers around the cold glass of water. He raised it to his lips and drained it quickly. As he placed the empty glass back down in front of him, he took a moment to wonder when his mother’s love had become so twisted up with ambition and fear. Unlike most parents her love was conditional and time limited, it had an expiry date, one strike and you were out. All children ever needed to know was that their parents loved them no matter what they chose to do with their lives, that they were free to make their own choices...and here she was still pushing her agenda, acting like the choice hadn’t already been made.

“You don’t seem to realise the fatal flaw in your plan, General Organa.” Ben argued, levelling his gaze to hers. “If it’s your intention to separate Rey from my terrible influence, then you’ve failed. If she wanted to stay, then I would stay right here with her. She’s already been abandoned once by her parents; I am not going to do the same. I know how much that would hurt her, because I _know_ her. You don’t. So, even if it kills me to be around you every single fucking day, I’d endure it, for her sake, knowing that’s what she wanted. So, go on, ask her again and I will abide by any decision she makes because her happiness means more to me than you’ll ever able to comprehend because you’ve forgotten how to love.”

“Love?” Leia’s hand flew to her throat in shock at his impassioned speech. It was the last thing she expected him to say.

Remorseful. Guilty.

That was how she felt at that very moment. Leia wished there was such a thing as a time machine so she could go back, rectify the mistake – another one to add to the growing list.

However, she could not. Impossible. She had to live with it. Like she did with all the others. Remorse etched at her heart. Guilt gnawed like a worm at the core of an apple. Yet, still she couldn’t say she was sorry….

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	48. Timing

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Forty-Eight-Timing **

It was time. The time Rey knew would come sooner or later but dreaded was here. She had to say farewell to Rose. The pain Rey carried in her chest was inexplicable. She knew her friend was in safe hands. Finn had arrived to offer emotional support to Rose as they parted ways once again. It hurt to say goodbye. As she embraced the young engineer, Rey wished she could hold on and keep her friend by her side for a longer time. The precious few hours she had spent laughing, crying, and reminiscing with Rose had reminded Rey just how much she missed having female companionship. She hoped that time and distance wouldn’t cause them to drift apart. Rey had managed to maintain few friendships in her life, that she clung tightly to the ones she had made since leaving Jakku.

“Hold onto the memories, Rey.” Rose said, her eyes brimming with tears. “I hope you find your happiness out there.”

“We’ll see each other again.” Rey had never learned to cry with style. The pearl-shaped tears rolled down her cheeks from wide luminous eyes.

“Promise?” Rose’s lower lip trembled and her shoulders heaved with emotion.

“I promise.” Rey blinked black her tears; her thick lashes stuck together in clumps as if she had been swimming underwater.

Finn had tried to remain immune to all the fraught emotions flying about the room but he couldn’t take it anymore as he felt his own eyes welling up with moisture. “C’mere.” He muttered as he gathered both girls up into a comforting bear hug.

* * *

While Rey was having an emotional goodbye with her friends, on the other side of the base the atmosphere remained frosty between mother and son. Leia and Ben had retreated to opposite ends of the primary command bridge as they awaited Rey’s return. Leia glanced often at her son’s rigid back. He was turned away from her, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared out of the ship’s viewscreen at Anoat’s hellish atmosphere. It was the time of day when every sensible creature sought shelter inside when the polluted planet’s unpredictable weather systems unleashed one of its toxic rain storms on Anoat’s beleaguered surface. Lightening lit the skies in brilliant streaks. The wind ran as if it has been restrained for time out of mind and it was determined to outrun any chaser. Carnage ensued, trees writhing and flailing, their groans of pain carried away by the wind. 

Leia poured some Caf’ into an empty cup. She lifted the cup, inhaling the heady aroma of her favourite drink. Without conscious thought she raised the cup to her lips, the first milky sip crept over her taste-buds and down her throat. After only a few minutes she was bathing in the kick of the caffeine. She turned to offer some to Ben but the words died on her lips when she noticed his whole posture had changed. Where he was tense, he now appeared relaxed. While she had been preoccupied, he had left his post at the viewscreen and was now standing in front of the closed doors as if eagerly anticipating someone’s arrival. Leia was intrigued by the small smile playing about his lips. His resemblance to Han in that moment was striking and made her breath hitch. Then just like that the doors slid open revealing Rey on the other side.

It took a minute for Leia to regain her composure at Rey’s unexpected appearance. How had Ben known that she was going to arrive at that exact moment? Intrigued, Leia moved nearer, observing them closely as she watched Ben’s hand reach out to comfort the distressed young scavenger. His fingers landed in Rey’s hair, he stroked the soft strands soothingly until her breathing slowed and her tears had stopped, leaving only their tell-tale wet tracks down her face. Leia felt she was witnessing something intimate and very special. They were doing minimal touching, but the look in their eyes…Ben’s most of all. He was gazing deep into Rey’s eyes like a man transfixed, as if everything else surrounding him was just a blur and nothing else existed for him but Rey.

Leia averted her gaze. It was like she had been blind and now she could see. Was Ben right when he said she had forgotten how to love? Feeling quite shaken at this newfound knowledge and the intense intimacy she had just witnessed between her son and the young scavenger, Leia reached for the steaming pot of Caf’ and poured herself another cup. The air was thick with the scent of caffeine, but where she had once found comfort in the heady aroma, she now felt sickened. She pushed the Caf’ to one side and reached for a glass instead and filled it with water from the pitcher.

“Ben said you wanted to speak to me again.”

Rey’s voice coming from behind startled Leia. The glass of water slipped from her nerveless fingers and it shattered at her feet. Rey immediately ducked down to pick up the broken shards of glass but Leia snapped at her to leave them alone. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ben glaring at her with stormy eyes. As for Rey, her lips were pressed together as if to stop herself from issuing a retort.

“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to be rude.” Leia apologised curtly as she gestured toward one of the empty chairs. “It can be cleared away later. Please sit.”

“I’d rather stand.” Rey replied as she matched Leia’s brusque tone.

“As you wish.” Leia was irritated because this meant that she would be forced to stand as well. Her legs felt like spaghetti. She held onto the edge of the table for support when she felt herself sway on her feet. “I was wondering if you’ve had the chance to reconsider my offer.”

Almost at once Leia saw the young scavenger’s eyes flick to Ben’s which only served to increase her irritation. “You don’t need my son’s permission to stay, Rey. Ben and I have already discussed it.”

Leia heard Rey’s breath catch in her throat. She was still looking at Ben, pain forming in her eyes. Leia noted the subtle shake of Ben’s head in response, if she hadn’t been watching so closely, she would have missed the whole interaction. There was a slight tremor of emotion in Rey’s lips. Just this small thing formed a whole picture of how she was feeling which Leia comprehended in an instant and with full depth. Rey was deeply hurt, thinking that Ben was going to leave her behind. He hadn’t been lying when he said how deeply this would affect the young woman.

Even though it was mere seconds, it was like time had stopped. Leia continued to watch in stunned silence as Ben’s brown eyes grew warm and soft. Like Rey, Leia became caught up in their light. His eyes were beautiful, it wasn’t about the colour or shape, it was about the sweet loving essence that was so clearly there as he looked at Rey.

Time sped up again and Rey turned to face Leia, her expression full of quiet confidence. “My answer remains the same, General Organa. I will not change my mind.”

* * *

“Are you sure about this?” Ben asked.

“I’m sure.” Rey responded firmly. There was no doubt in her tone.

Soft wisps of her brunette hair swept past an ear and caressed the skin of her neck, jaw, cheeks and around her rather beautiful, deep eyes. Those hazel eyes rimmed with thick, long, dark lashes that brushed her cheeks every time she closed her eyes, seemed to bore into Ben every time he looked into them and nearly lost himself. He reached for her, drawing her into his embrace, cradling her against his chest, cherishing the feel of her arms slipping around his waist.

The storm had subsided now which meant they could finally leave the base and return to the Falcon. Only a light rain was left behind. There was something so heavenly about a kiss in the rain. In the rain Ben’s hair became one with his face, wetly draped over the bone structure that drove Rey out of her mind. His expression was serious. Rey wondered if he knew how crazy that made her, how it made her want to feel every inch of his skin. Rey pulled his hand away as he was about to use it to wipe his hair out of his face. She smiled as Ben rolled his eyes in the way he did when he was really happy but feeling too macho to show it. They kissed. Everything melted away as if they had been transported somewhere heavenly and perhaps if it weren't for the cold rain, which was increasing in intensity again, Rey might have believed they had.

Slowly, hand in hand, they made their way back to the Millennium Falcon where they found Han, Chewie and BB-8 waiting for them.

* * *

Leia looked up at Poe when he called her name. Really looked up at him as if just noticing him for the first time. She noticed the way his eyebrows raised a centimetre or two, lined with something between worry and concern as he looked back at her. She was in a meeting with him and the other officers as they discussed moving from the base on Anoat to a more permanent one on Ajan Kloss.

“General Organa?” Poe asked as he reached out to steady her when she swayed on her feet.

Leia blinked, suddenly it was Ben standing in front of her and not Poe. She stared at the illusionary image of her son and in her heart, she retracted all the bad things she ever said to him, they were never a reflection on him, only on her own inner demons. He had worked so hard and she only saw what he could not do. In the permanent fatigue that had plagued her body ever since he had left the base with Rey, Leia slowly began to unravel. In her misplaced entitlement she had given Ben only passive aggressive rage, she had withdrawn from him emotionally to punish him and in doing so became self-absorbed and cold. Now he was gone, fled with the only people who gave him hugs instead of cold stares, acceptance and not demands, respect and never condemnation. Leia’s breath came in short bursts as she placed a hand over her aching heart.

“General Organa.”

Leia blinked again at the sound of her name and Ben’s face disappeared to be replaced with Poe’s again.

“Are you well? You’ve gone very pale.” Poe said again in concern. “We can postpone this meeting until later if you need to rest.”

Leia stared up at Poe in anguish before pushing his hands away as he tried to help her. Soon she was running, cursing her age as her steps faltered. She plunged into the rain, the pitter patter of tiny droplets creating a shield around her. The silver puddles created an obstacle course and her soft boots slid dangerously on the muddy ground in her haste to reach the Falcon to stop them leaving. But she was too late. They were already gone.

A single tear slid down from Leia’s sad, brown eyes, followed by another one, and another one, until soon, a steady stream of salty tears flowed their way down her pale cheeks, releasing the sadness and sorrow that had been held inside of her for all this time. Leia remained in the same position for some time, her hair and clothes becoming saturated with water. The rain had turned cold, freezing and paling her skin on contact.

Leia Organa Solo-once a senator, a princess and leader of the Rebel Alliance, now a general in the Resistance-straightened up to her full height and composed her features back into a commanding expression as she buried her emotions deep down inside. Then, with head held high, she walked slowly back to the base.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	49. Zorii Bliss

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter. In this chapter we get to meet Zorii Bliss. I have changed her canon character for the purposes of this story. She is not connected to Poe but to Han….I hope this doesn’t confuse things too much._ **

** Chapter Forty-Nine-Zorii Bliss **

A terrestrial planet, Kijimi had mountainous terrain. The planet had a frigid climate, with thick drifts of snow covering its Mountains. The atmosphere of Kijimi was breathable to a number of inhabitants, including humans, Boosodians, and Anzellans. The planet had no central government and was basically an anarchy with some stability. Everyone's self-interests kept the planet from collapsing. Kijimi City, home to a spaceport, was located on the peak of Mount Izukika, almost hidden between the mountains and the snow. The ancient architecture of the city consisted of buildings that looked like old monasteries.

The residents of Kijimi wore thick furs and animal hides to combat the cold climate. Rey envied them their thick garments as she remained huddled next to Ben in a darkened doorway in an area known as The Thieves Quarter-a well-known area where scoundrels were known to hang out. Of course, Han Solo fit right in. “Why are we here again?” She whispered irritably to Ben-not for the first time.

“We need money for parts for the Falcon and we’re running low on supplies. Dad is calling in an old debt.” Ben whispered back patiently.

Cold licked at Rey’s face and crept under her clothes, spreading across her skin like the lacy tide on a frigid winter beach. With purple lips tinged with blue and gently chattering teeth she wrapped her black cloak tighter around her. “And why are Han and Chewie getting to sit in a warm tavern while we’re forced to freeze outside?” She demanded grumpily-again, not for the first time.

“Because they’re not wanted by the First Order for the assassination of Supreme Leader Snoke.” Ben reminded her sarcastically. “That tavern is full of bounty hunters and this place is also crawling with First Order troops. My face is too recognisable.”

The frigid air was wicking away their body heat faster than they were able to replace it. Their thermal undergarments were just not enough to combat the cold. The bleak grey clouds overhead reflected Rey’s gloomy mood perfectly. Growing up in the humid heat on Jakku had not prepared her for the biting winter chill on Kijimi. At first, she had been delighted with the snow. Everywhere was covered in a thick blanket of white, the buildings peeked out under their new white caps, footsteps and paw prints crisscrossed each other around the labyrinth of paths. In the day the streets of Kijimi city looked like an unfinished painting. The morning light struggled through the murky cloud, but even in its weakness it was enough to blind. The air was of course cold, but Rey hadn't expected the same dampness that comes before the freezing rain followed the fluffy snow. Now it was night and the temperatures had dropped considerably. Breath pale against the numbing air, she emitted a grateful sigh when Ben wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to share the warmth.

“I’m sorry, Rey.” Ben apologised quietly as he rested his chin on top of the hood covering her brunette hair. “If I wasn’t a wanted man- “

“Not just you.” Rey cut in before the usual guilt had a chance to overwhelm him. “I may not be as recognisable but my name is on the list too. Though why they want me taken alive and you shot on sight still confuses me. Why wouldn’t they just want us both dead?”

“Who knows what’s going through Hux’s twisted little mind.” Ben’s knuckles turned white from clenching his fist so hard as he thought about his one-time rival, Armitage Hux. It shouldn’t have surprised him that Hux was the one who had used Snoke’s death to his advantage to make an instant grab for power. The little weasel had always had dreams of grandeur. It was just bitter irony that he had been the one to give the treacherous ass the perfect opportunity to realise his ambition.

Since leaving the Resistance behind they had spent the last few weeks trying to evade capture. They had plenty of near misses and in the process the Millennium Falcon had taken a battering. Han had been forced to reach out to his old contacts for favours as they sought refuge. Ben and Rey tensed in the shadows when the tavern’s door creaked open, only relaxing again when they saw Chewie motioning for them to come inside.

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Ben asked cautiously.

“It is now.” Chewie answered in Shyriiwook as he shoved the comatose body of a Boosodian bounty hunter out into the cold. “Don’t worry. He’ll be out for hours.”

Ben exchanged an amused glance with Rey before reaching for her hand to pull her inside the tavern with him. They were met with a jangle of voices when they stepped inside. Men and women of varying species were slumped on the bar. Empty pint and shot glasses littered the top of the bar, the servers were making no effort to clear them. In fact, Ben spotted one of them reusing one of the dirty glasses for a new patron. He grimaced in disgust, his fingers tightening around Rey’s as he followed Chewie’s tall form as they weaved their way through the crowd. They passed a drunken woman crying in the corner, her anguish becoming lost in the hubbub and din. One of the drinkers at the bar smacked into Rey, causing the hood covering her head to fall backwards, revealing her lovely face. He leered at Rey as he made a grab for her, but he was met with Ben’s fist instead. It only took one punch before he was sprawled on the ground. His companions went to rush to his defence but one growl from Chewbacca and the murderous look in Ben’s eyes sent then scurrying away.

“We’re trying not to attract attention.” Chewie reminded Ben pointedly as they continued on their way.

“Says the great big Wookie.” Ben retorted irritably as he flexed his fingers to check he hadn’t dislocated any of them. It had been a while since he’d had the pleasure of smashing his fist into someone’s face.

Chewbacca gave him another warning growl before taking the lead again. Ben reached for Rey’s hand, but she just scowled and pushed past him as she followed in Chewie’s wake.

“ _Why are you pissed at me?_ ” Ben asked telepathically as he hastened after her.

“ _I could have handled that myself. You didn’t need to step in_.” Rey replied sharply.

Ben let out a weary sigh. She was right. He should have let her handle it herself, he just couldn’t help feeling protective. _“I’m sorry_.” He apologised sincerely.

Mollified by his quick apology, Rey let him take her hand again. They had reached one of the secluded bays set at the back of the bar. Ben caught sight of his father; Han was sitting opposite what appeared to be a female clad in a dark maroon catsuit which clung snugly to her curvy body. She had gold shields wrapped around her upper arms which matched the unique gold coloured helmet she wore, complete with dark visor covering her eyes. When Ben glanced back at Rey, she had a strange look on her face which he couldn’t decipher. Before he had a chance to figure it out his father was calling him over.

“Hey, Ben, you remember Zorii?” Han said animatedly as he made the introductions. When Ben shot him a puzzled glance, Han rolled his eyes. “She’s Harry Wynn’s daughter. You remember old Harry? He and I- “Han cut his explanation short, not really wanting to bring up his old spice running days.

“He won’t remember me, Han. He was still a babe in arms.” Zorii laughed as she opened the visor on her helmet, revealing a pair of twinkling green eyes.

“I remember Harry, though. Nice to meet you, Zorii.” Ben said as he tugged on Rey’s hand, drawing her further into the light so he could include her in the introductions. “This is- “

“I’m Rey.” Rey cut in tersely.

“Okay.” Zorii drawled, clearly amused by Rey’s abrupt answer. “So, you’re the girl I’ve been hearing so much about.”

“What do you mean?” Ben and Rey said at the exact same time.

Zorii laughed again. “Did you two practise that?”

“No.” Ben and Rey answered together.

This time it wasn’t only Zorii who laughed. Han and Chewie joined in, riling Ben and Rey further. Their exasperated expressions mirrored each other as they glared at everyone around the table.

Zorii was the first to recover from her laughing fit. “Han, you didn’t tell me they were so adorable.”

For some reason this set Han and Chewie off again. Irritated by his father’s antics, Ben reached out and grabbed the back of Han’s chair, yanking it from under him and sending him sprawling to the floor. Han’s amusement died and he glowered at Ben as he pushed himself back onto his feet. “What did you do that for?” He demanded gruffly.

“To remind you that I’m dangerous not adorable.” Ben said sarcastically. This time the snicker came from behind him. Ben turned to look over his shoulder to find Rey with her hand covering her mouth as she tried to stifle her giggles.

“Not you too!” Ben sighed in defeat as it dawned him what he had just said.

“Ben ‘dangerous not adorable’ Solo has quite the ring to it.” Rey’s sweet, joyful laughter burst forth and she collapsed into a vacant chair next to Han. She caught Zorii gazing at her, her eyes crinkled at the corners with mirth. The brief spike of envy that had plagued Rey when she had first been introduced to Han’s striking companion disappeared. The two women exchanged an amused look as Ben pulled up another chair and sat down heavily, his face still marked with irritation.

The atmosphere turned serious again as Zorii motioned them all to quieten down. They were attracting curious stares. Ben and Rey tensed, their keen eyes surveying the bar for any sign of trouble. The room was filled with the smell of stale alcohol and body odour. “I can get you the supplies you need.” Zorii said in a low voice to Han. “But it may take some time. You need to lay low for a few days. The Falcon will need to be moved somewhere less conspicuous while I get my guys to source the parts you need and make repairs. Leave that to me.”

“Any suggestions where we can hide out for a while?” Han asked.

Zorii pondered his question for a minute before answering. “I suppose you could bunk down in my dad’s old place. Be prepared, it’s quite dilapidated now, but the advantage is, it’s off the beaten track.”

“I’m grateful, Zorii. I know you’re putting yourself at huge risk by helping us out.” Han thanked her.

“You did the same for my family countless times, especially when it came to getting my dad out of trouble.” Zorii reminded him.

Han’s eyes moistened as he thought about his old friend. Thinking about Harry had awakened long forgotten memories of his youth. He, Harry and Lando had been quite the trio back in their smuggling days. Thinking of Lando prompted Han to ask after his old friend. “Have you heard from him?”

Zorri’s expressive eyes turned grave. “The last time I had any contact with him he was still on Pasaana.”

“When we leave here, I’ll go and look him up.” Han pushed his chair back and stood up. Everyone else did the same. After another brief conversation with Zorii, where she gave them directions to Harry’s old residence, they quickly left before they aroused any further suspicion.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! A filler chapter but I hoped you enjoyed it all the same. Please review._ **


	50. Sparring

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very for the kind reviews._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Sparring **

Rey could hear the intensity in Ben’s voice as he talked. They had been sparring on and off for the last hour, with him gently guiding and steering her movements when her frustration at her many mistakes began to boil over. She was an impatient pupil but he was a surprisingly patient teacher.

“Your body is built for movement.” Ben explained. “See the flexible spine.” He ran his fingers lightly down her back, causing a tremor of desire to ripple through Rey’s body. She tried to concentrate on his words but struggled when he was so close.

“And those arms that want to mark out a beat. Feel those feet that need to leap, to get some air time." Ben continued, oblivious to the effect he was having on her.

“You make it sound like a dance.” Rey winced at her high-pitched tone as she tried to disguise how flustered she was feeling around him.

Ben smiled as he used the pads of his fingers to rub light circles on her shoulder blade in an effort to relax her. “I suppose in a way it is. But in this dance, you know your own steps, yet not your partners. You need to pre-empt their movements, always thinking ahead.”

Rey’s lips formed into a smirk. “You mean like this?” Her booted foot shot out, curling around his ankle, pulling him off balance.

Ben teetered on his heels for a second but soon regained his equilibrium. “Sneaky.” He said, his hand reaching for his saber.

Rey narrowed her eyes as she focused her attention on Ben, letting the force flow through her mind and body. She waited until he made the first move. When he charged toward her; his own weapon raised to strike hers, she was ready for him. Rey kicked out, the heel of her boot hitting his solar plexus and sending him staggering backwards.

“Impressive.” Ben complimented her, his breath paling in the numbing air.

“I try.” Rey answered with a teasing smile.

They began to spar in earnest. The cold of Kijmi’s frigid atmosphere moved to meet the warmth of Rey’s blood, her defence against such ice. She felt it wash over her skin, again and again, only to be met by the beat of her heart, as she fought furiously against Ben. She knew, as hard as it was, that so long as she kept moving, implementing the lessons he had taught her, she’d win this time. Ben wasn’t holding back and neither was she.

Ben used the same manoeuvre she had tried on him at the start of the fight. She wobbled as he slid forward, ducking her slicing blade, as he hooked his foot around her ankle and yanked her off balance. Rey scowled when she was forced to do a quick back-flip as she sought to maintain her balance.

“Focus, Rey.” Ben advised her. “Don’t let your frustration consume you. That’s when you make mistakes.”

Rey’s hair was like a second skin over her cheeks and she looked like she had been caught in a sudden storm. Her skin had a glossy sheen to it as did Ben’s. As she kept moving the sweat was a welcome addition, cooling and helping her to feel like she had worked hard; it's only when her feet came to a stop that the freezing wind showed her just how wet her clothing had become. She trembled violently and as soon as Ben noticed he called a halt to the day’s lesson.

“I’m fine.” Rey said through gritted teeth as her competitive streak pushed her to keep going.

“I love your passion, Rey.” Ben’s voice was deep and soothing. “You need to rest. You’re exhausted and so am I. Your connection becomes stronger every day. Can you feel it?”

“Yes.”

“Now reach out with your mind and try to relax.” Ben coaxed her gently.

Rey inhaled through her nose and sent her awareness into the void. Peace and calm were key. She reached, she searched, she felt the icy breeze on her cheeks, she smelled loamy soil, damp from the recent snowfall, and something else…when Ben’s booted foot shot out, curling around her lower ankle, to pull her off balance again, she was ready.

Pulling off a neat backflip, Rey did a countermove, swinging one arm out and looping it around Ben’s neck, using the trajectory of her sudden move to trip him up. He fell onto his back, the deep snow cushioning the blow from his fall as Rey landed on top of him. She straddled his body, laughing at the stunned look on his face. “I was pre-empting your move.” She teased.

Ben’s heart ached when he saw her bright smile. He loved that it was directed at him. Only him. He loved being the source of those lit eyes and dimpled cheeks. Rey brought so much happiness to those around her. Ben bathed in the warmth of her smile. She had shown him how to find beauty in a cruel world. She was trying so hard and doing so well during their training sessions. She worked hard and he was immensely proud of her. She wanted to fly and now she was practically soaring. He was attracted to her with the kind of heady trance that brings a butterfly to nectar. Rey, quite simply, was the kindest and most reliable person he had ever met. Reliable didn’t mean that he didn’t adore her with a fiery passion, because he did. For him reliability was the cornerstone of trust and he trusted Rey with his life. He was never more calm, more whole, or healthier than when she was by his side.

Ben knew that once he kissed that special spot on her neck that Rey’s resistance would crumble. After just a few delicate touches of his warm lips her hands started to do his bidding. They fell down his back as her head began to swim, all previous thoughts stopped in their tracks. Now there was only one desire, one wish, and they both knew it was just a matter of time before it happened.

“Rey 1, Ben Solo 0.” BB-8 chirped loudly in his binary language.

When Rey began to clamber off him, Ben groaned in aggravation. He glared at the little astromech who had quietly been keeping score during their training session. He had become so lost in Rey that he had forgotten that BB-8 was even there. “Whose side are you on?” Ben complained to the oblivious droid as he climbed back onto his feet.

“Technically I have no sides.” BB-8 beeped. “I am a BB unit with a selenium drive and thermal hyper scan vindicator- “

Ben smirked at the little orange and white droid. Maybe BB-8 wasn’t so oblivious after all.

* * *

“You look a bit flushed, son.” Han quipped when he saw the heightened colour on Ben’s cheeks when he came inside.

“So would you if you had just finished an energetic training session.” Ben muttered as he grabbed a fresh towel and ran it over his sweat soaked hair.

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Han smirked.

Ben gave his father a death glare. BB-8’s dome head swivelled back and forth as he looked up at them with interest. “He lost again.” He said to Han.

“Figures.” Han gave Ben one of his lopsided grins.

This time it was BB-8 who received the benefit of Ben’s death glare. “It wasn’t a competition.” He raised his forefinger in frustration. “It was a _training_ session.” He emphasised the word training with a swipe of the same forefinger.

Han chuckled. “Where’s the kid?” He asked. “Maybe she can settle this argument.”

“She’s freshening up.” Ben muttered as he combed his fingers through the inky black strands of his hair. “Any news on when the Falcon will be ready?” He continued as a way to change the subject.

“I’m hoping by tomorrow night. Chewie has gone to check in with Zorii. He’ll have more news when he gets back.” Han revealed.

“Good.” Ben huffed out a frustrated sigh as he looked around at their less than stellar surroundings. Zorii hadn’t been exaggerating when she said that her father’s old residence was a dilapidated ruin. The derelict building clung to the hillside scree, stubbornly refusing to die. The walls were no more than the same rock and dirt they stood on, yet storm after storm failed to return them to the earth. They were a refuge for rogue travellers like themselves who sometimes passed through the area and a haven for small birds. Still, he shouldn’t complain, it had provided them with temporary shelter when they needed it. He returned his attention to Han. “Do you still want to head to Pasaana to check in with Lando when we leave here?” He asked.

“That was the plan.” Han said cautiously. “Why?”

Ben paused for a second before answering. “I was hoping we could make a detour.”

“To where?”

“Jakku.”

Han’s eyebrows shot upwards but to his credit he kept his cool. “Why would you want to go back there?”

Ben lowered his voice. “For Rey.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure she wasn’t anywhere within hearing distance. “She’s been having nightmares.”

Han frowned. “Yeah, I’ve heard the kid crying in her sleep once or twice. This is about her parents?” He guessed.

“Yeah.” Ben nodded, sighing again. “We made a pact.”

“What pact?”

“The details are not important but I’ve fulfilled my end, I think its times she did hers.”

“Have you spoken to her about this?” Han questioned.

“I’ve tried, but Rey’s stubborn. She says she’s not ready.”

“Then you should listen to her. Why are you pushing this?” Han demanded sharply.

“Because I know her. What she says and what she really means are two different things.”

“Ben, this is not a good idea.” Han cautioned him. “This could backfire badly on you if it goes wrong.”

“Not knowing the truth is torturing her. I can’t bear to see her in so much pain. Rey needs answers. And Jakku is a good place to start. I’m going to confront that villain Plutt and force him to tell us exactly what he knows.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	51. The Scoundrel and the Scavenger

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifty-One-The Scoundrel and the Scavenger  **

_The cruel desert sun beat down on the young girl’s head. Each step she took sunk into the searing sand, the air was thick and hazy, each breath like drowning in larva. Next to her strode the hulking Crolute, Unkar Plutt, the junkboss of Jakku. The ruthless Unkar used hired thugs to enforce his stranglehold on barter, sending them to punish any scavenger who dared dabble in unauthorized trades or negotiated too aggressively. For some reason he seemed to have adopted a soft spot for the latest addition to his scavenging crew. Rey-last name unknown-had turned out to be the best acquisition he had ever made. Despite her very young age she was already holding her own amongst the older and more experienced scavengers, though as a consequence it bred resentment amongst her peers. Normally Plutt left the scavengers to sort their issues out amongst themselves, but when he happened to come across Rey being dragged out in the midday sun one day and being beaten mercilessly by one of the older scavengers as he tried to steal her haul, Unkar found himself intervening._

_“You need to learn how to protect yourself.” He growled at her._

_Rey wiped at the blood dripping from her nose and shaded her eyes as she peered up at Plutt. “He’s bigger than me.”_

_“Size is irrelevant. If you know the right moves you can beat them.” Unkar said irritably. “I suppose I could teach you some moves.”_

_His offer surprised Rey. Plutt’s nickname among the scavengers was The Blobfish because of his bloated appearance. He was known for being ruthless and dishing out cruel punishments to those who thought they could scam him. For him to show mercy of any kind was unheard of. Rey felt very confused. “Master Plutt?” She decided now might be a safe time to ask him the burning question that was always at the forefront of her mind while he was in a lenient mood._

_“What child?” Plutt asked grumpily. He wished she would stop her chattering. It was too hot for questions._

_“My parents.” Rey piped up again. “When are they coming back?”_

_Planting his feet firmly in the sand, Unkar stopped walking and glared down at the scrawny little girl. He might have felt a brief moment of compassion for her, but that didn’t extend to her feelings. If she wanted to survive in this harsh environment then she needed to wise up. “You want to know about your parents, huh?”_

_“Yes, please, Master Plutt.” Rey gazed up at him with pleading eyes but it didn’t soften his stance._

_“Let me be clear, child. Your parents are never coming back. They were nobody. Just like you. They were filthy junk traders who sold you off for drinking money. They’re dead in a pauper’s grave in the Jakku desert. You come from nothing. You are nothing. Do you understand?” Unkar stated harshly._

Rey woke up abruptly, the tears already forming in her eyes. The nausea swirled unrestrained in her empty stomach. Her head swam with half-formed regrets while her heart felt as if her blood had become tar as it struggled to keep a steady beat. Rey’s melancholy mood hung over her like a black cloud, raining down on her personal sorrow. The dreams were becoming more and more vivid each time. Though the latest one had felt more like a memory. Had she really had that conversation with Plutt? Her recollection of that fraught time in her childhood was hazy. In order to survive she had blocked a lot of it out, but now it seemed intent on haunting her, dredging up things she’d rather not think about.

Over the years Rey had perfected a mask of calm and competence; the person she presented to the world mature and capable. In so many ways she was. She had grown into someone able to stand alone and not be lonely- someone who attracts people because they are strong. In fact, it was a charade. Should anything rock her foundation, the whole thing would come down to reveal the abandoned child within- the child who still mourns for who they were before the world exploded. Before they learnt that “forever” could be frighteningly short and “unconditional love” was subject to the whims of a selfish parent.

Throughout her life on Jakku, Rey would sometimes see off-worlders in Niima Outpost, a chief trade outpost on the planet, who she thought might have arrived on Jakku accidentally, unaware of the harsh realities of the desert world. She often wondered if she was left behind under similar circumstances, if her family had come to Jakku by accident and she was left behind as a result of their misfortune. Whatever the reasons were, she held out hope for so long that her family would return for her one day, though she deep down she knew that they would never come back. She had been unwilling to accept this obvious truth for a long time, but after witnessing the emotional turmoil Ben had just gone through with his mother, she began to worry she wouldn’t have the strength to deal with her own if she went through with her half of the pact.

Rey gave up on sleep for the night and reached for the fur trimmed cloak that she had secretly scavenged when they were in Kijimi City. She pulled it tightly around her slim frame, seeking as much warmth as possible from the thick material. Somehow the dreams weren’t so bad when she had Ben there to soothe her troubled heart. Right now he was with BB-8, making the long trek through the snowy mountainous terrain to rendezvous with Chewie and Zorii so they could take him with them to the secret location where Zorii had stored the Falcon while it was undergoing repairs. Han was meant to go in his place, but Ben had offered in his stead. Han was no longer a young man and would have found the treacherous journey a strain.

Shaking off the remnants of her dream, Rey made her way outside where she found Han still wide awake and sitting in front of the campfire in silent contemplation. When Rey reached him, she held out her chilled hands towards the flames but felt no warmth. The heat from the campfire seemed to be sucked into the frigid air before ever reaching their frozen hands. Han suddenly seemed to become aware that she was there. He motioned for her to sit down while he added more wood and poked it with a long stick. The fire seemed to die a little as if unsure of itself, unready to devour the new offerings. It licked at the new logs like a nervous kitten and sent feeble sparks to die in the air. But after a time, it found its confidence and grew until the heat warmed them, orange flames celebrated with their wild flickering dance.

“Bad dream?” Han asked gruffly.

“You heard me.” Rey replied flatly.

“Hard not to, kid. Want to talk about it?” Han offered. “I’ve heard it helps.”

The only one she had ever opened up to about her childhood was Ben. Only he knew what being abandoned had really done to her. He had seen the emotional scars she hid from the world. The soul-destroying loneliness. He had felt the screaming inside of her soul, the begging and the will to do anything not to suffer, to stop the soul shattering and bleeding so invisibly. It hurt. It hurt every day, even though her brain continued to yearn for those who had caused the pain in the first place.

Han sensed her struggle and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I get it, kid.” He said quietly.

“Get what?”

“What its like to feel abandoned.” The light cast from the flames danced across Han’s face as he turned his head toward her. “It’s not quite the same but my old man ran out on me when I was just a kid.” He gave her one of his lopsided smiles, but this one had a tinge of sadness to it. “I don’t speak about him. Or my mother…” His smile disappeared to be replaced with a frown. “Even as I tried to forget them, to pretend it didn’t matter, the pain would always be there. Festering. It never leaves you, kid.”

Rey sucked in a quavering breath at his words. Han Solo was much more perceptive than anyone gave him credit for. “It hurts all the time.”

“I know, kid.” Han sighed. “I know.”

Rey’s breathing became more rapid, shallower as she tried to deal with unresolved feelings about her past. She felt Han squeeze her shoulder in sympathy. She cast her eyes down to her shaking hands as she tried to compose herself. “What do you think I should do?”

Han turned the question around on her. “What do you want to do?”

“I’m conflicted.” Rey’s eyes scanned his pleadingly. “I want to know and yet I don’t. I’m afraid.”

“Understandable.” Han let go of her shoulder in order to throw more wood on the fire.

“Did you ever try to find your parents?” Rey ventured.

“No.” Han shook his head. “I decided to ride Solo after that. Hence the name.” He quipped.

Rey smiled weakly, feeling grateful at his attempt to lighten the atmosphere. “Maybe the past is better left in the past.”

“If you really felt that way you wouldn’t be feeling so conflicted about it. We were both abandoned, kid. The difference is I knew where I came from. You don’t. I think you owe it to yourself to find out that much at least.” Han pointed out reasonably. He stoked the fire with the long stick again as he gave Rey time to ponder his words.

Rey stared into the pulsating flames of the campfire. The glowing embers seemed to move in rhythm with the flames, matching every dip and sweep. It was mesmerizing to watch, colours of orange and red gave way to yellow and white near the centre, where the emanating heat was the greatest. “Okay.” She said eventually.

“Okay what?” Han questioned.

“I’ll take the detour to Jakku.” Rey said as she pushed herself back onto her feet. The tension in her face relaxed at she looked down at Han’s stunned expression. “What you think I didn’t know what Ben was planning?” Her lips pulled up into a smile that didn't quite reach her hazel eyes. They were lit with sadness. “Thanks for the pep talk. It helped a lot. Goodnight, Han.”

“Anytime. Night, kid.” Han shook his head in wonder as he watched Rey walk away.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	52. What the Heart Needs

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Two-What the Heart Needs **

“Zorii’s crew did a good job.” Han said, impressed with the all the improvements and modifications that had been done to the Falcon in such a short space of time. The old Junker hadn’t had this much of an overhaul in…well never.

Ben was enjoying witnessing his father’s delight at all the enhancements that Zorii had made to his beloved ship. She had gone above and beyond what they had originally asked of her. It was clear she treasured Han in the same way she treasured memories of her late father, Harry. He had spent some pleasant hours in Zorii’s company as they reminisced about Han, Harry and Lando’s youthful exploits. There were some stories Ben had never actually heard before. It saddened him in a way, that his father had never felt able to share those same stories with him, like Harry had with Zorii. He was so grateful that he was finally getting to experience that same closeness with Han that Zorii once had with her father. He may be an adult now but it was never too late.

“Zorii’s team upgraded the armament, hull, and shields.” Ben explained as they continued on their tour of the ship. “And you should see what they’ve done to the quad laser canons- “

“The kid knows.” Han cut in abruptly.

His guilt and remorse had been chipping away at him ever since Ben and Chewie had returned with Falcon. It was like ice in his guts. He felt like he had betrayed Ben in some way because he had dared to interfere. Rey had been very frosty with his son upon his return and had taken great pains to avoid him. Han felt responsible for that even though he hadn’t directly said anything to Rey about Jakku. He was surprised that Ben was being so calm about everything, He had fully expected him to chase after Rey and demand answers from her about why she was avoiding him.

Han cleared his throat while he looked at the floor instead of Ben as he forged ahead with his confession. “I didn’t tell her what you were planning. I promise. I just had a little talk with her…. she’d had another bad dream…and I thought…talking is supposed to help.” He fumbled around for the right words to explain his innocent little chat with Rey the night before. “So, we talked.” He began to get defensive, even though Ben had not said one word in response either way. “And you know what? It helped. It did.” Han raised his head and his forefinger as he held it in front of Ben’s face, expecting him to explode at any moment. “She already knew, Ben. She came out with it herself.”

Ben wasn’t ruffled at all. “Of course, she knew.” He said.

Han’s eyes registered confusion. “You knew she knew?”

“Yeah.” Ben shrugged as if it was no big deal.

“But she’s mad at you?” Han was totally bewildered.

“Not at me.” Ben corrected him. “She’s mad that I’m right. She’ll come around.”

Han scratched the back of his head. “How is it that you know so much about what goes on in a woman’s mind all of a sudden? They’ve always been a complete mystery to me.” He said wonderingly.

“Just Rey’s mind.” Ben smiled to himself. That was a conversation best left for another day. “Come on, let’s finish the tour.” He said, grabbing his father by the shoulders and propelling him forward before Han could ask anymore probing questions.

* * *

Call it old fashioned instinct or the fact that there had already been two assassination attempts on his life already, but as soon as Armitage raised the small cup of Vine Coffee to his lips, something made him pause. The meeting room was eerily silent. Through narrowed eyes, Hux looked at the men and women who made up the Supreme Council. The Council was a cabinet of top military leaders drawn from the ranks of First Order High Command. Founded by Hux himself, the Council's purpose was to carry out his orders and to plan a future for the galaxy under the absolute rule of the First Order. Its creation was also meant to introduce teamwork and greater coordination to a regime in which most high-ranking officers had little knowledge of the First Order's capabilities and goals. Cooperation was new to the proud men and women who led the First Order, however. As such, many of their meetings were marred by sniping and turf wars. But today animosities seemed to have been put to one side as they regarded their leader through wary eyes. It was like they were collectively holding their breath.

Hux lowered the cup and placed it carefully back in its saucer. His piercing stare immediately travelled to Allegiant General Enric Pryde. Pryde was the highest-ranking officer on the Council, second only to the Supreme Leader himself. In fact, the Council’s headquarters were located on Pryde’s ship, the Steadfast. The Allegiant General stared back at Hux with his lizard like eyes. “I hope everything is to your satisfaction, Supreme Leader.” Enric murmured deferentially.

Armitage wasn’t fooled. He knew that Pryde had been the catalyst behind the last two assassination attempts on his life. He just couldn’t prove it. The Allegiant General was good at covering his tracks. Or maybe Captain Phasma was deliberately being too slow to gather the damming evidence he’d requested as a matter of urgency. He trusted her as much as he trusted Pryde. Hux had considered the possibility that the two had joined forces in an attempt to depose him but decided that Phasma loathed the oily Pryde just like he did.

“Everything is far from my satisfaction, Allegiant General.” Armitage retorted as his gaze left Pryde and wandered around the long table where all the other officers were situated. “Who made the coffee?” He demanded suddenly.

General Bellava Parnadee, whose job it was to oversee the occupation of contested worlds, directing the First Order army on occupied Kijimi, Torost, and Odynnia Gavo, raised her hand. “You did, Supreme Leader.” She pointed out calmly. “At least I saw you pour it.”

“Mmmm.” Hux pressed his lips together until the edges turned white from the pressure. His eyes left Bellava and landed on the person sitting next to her, Amret Engell. The older woman stiffened slightly when she realised that she was under Hux’s scrutiny. Amret Engell worked closely with Captain Phasma on the stormtrooper programme. “I believe it was actually you who made the coffee.” He continued, his tone turning reasonable.

Engell tugged slightly at the collar of her tight-fitting uniform jacket. She let out a nervous laugh. “I can assure you it was made from the highest quality coffee beans grown on Belsavis, Supreme Leader.”

“I demand only the very best.” Hux’s voice was too gentle, too agreeable. Engell began to perspire. The beads of sweat on her forehead glinted dangerously underneath the bright lights of the meeting room. Armitage rose from his chair at the head of the long table. He picked up the delicate cup of Vine Coffee and walked over to the agitated General. “I also know that you are a lover of Vine Coffee and yet you don’t seem to be partaking of any today. Why don’t you try some of mine?” He offered the cup to her.

Amret Engell emitted another nervous laugh. She looked around at the others, hoping for one of them to back her up and distract Hux from his mission. Instead she was faced with a resounding silence. “I have been trying to cut down on my intake of late, Supreme Leader.” She said by way of an excuse.

“That wasn’t a request, General. It was an order.” Hux raised his voice, making the already nervous woman jump in her seat. He watched the colour drain from Engell’s face as he forced the cup into her shaking hand. “Drink it.” He commanded. “Before it gets cold.”

The tepid coffee slopped over the edges of the small cup as Amret Engell raised it to her mouth. When it reached her lips, she took a delicate sip, barely imbibing any of the liquid. “There.” She said, hastily putting it away from her.

“Drink. All. Of. It.” Hux spat, enunciating each word slowly.

“Supreme Leader….” Engell was shaking in her seat as she looked up at him pleadingly. “I would rather not.”

Hux grabbed the older woman’s short hair and yanked her head back. Her lips parted as she let out an agonised moan. Hux used the opportunity to tip the rest of the coffee into her opened mouth. Amret choked, some of the liquid escaping down her throat despite her best attempt to stop it. Armitage released her, watching impassively as Engell’s body began to convulse as the quick acting poison began to take effect.

Armitage didn’t bother to wait for her to die. Let the others clear up the mess. Engell’s death would be a warning to all of them not to cross him. He left the meeting room in search of the one person he knew who used poison as their weapon of choice. Hadn’t she once helped him kill his own father in the exact same way she had tried to kill him now? She must have recruited the hapless Engell to her cause thinking that using a third party would throw him off the scent. “Guards.” He yelled at two passing stormtroopers. “Find Captain Phasma and tell her to meet me at my quarters right now.”

* * *

Ben was in the cockpit, piloting the Falcon alone, when Rey came to find him. She had been deliberately avoiding him while she sorted through her conflicted feelings about going back to Jakku. She had wasted so many years of her life on that godforsaken planet, clinging on to the faint hope that her parents would one day return for her. She had matured a lot since then, leaving had opened her eyes to her childish naivete. It was so hard to put into words how her parent’s abandonment had affected her. She had learned to bury the pain deep down inside the recesses of her soul. She might smile on the outside, but on the inside, she was bleeding. The pain never went away. It hurt. It hurt every day until the only way she could cope was to stop her brain yearning for love... because there was always a part of her that would always remember how it felt to be so abandoned.

Ben coming into her life had raised the stakes and transformed her life. And she sometimes struggled with this transformation, and her sensitive heart stubbornly fought it, because she was scared of losing everything. Rey knew Ben. She knew he would never abandon her, that he would weather any storm to remain true, that he would rather die than abandon her because he fully comprehended the deep pain that would cause. Delving into her past was going to be confronting, but she had to remember she wasn’t alone. She had Ben. She had Han. Chewie. Little BB-8. They were all there. Willing to go on the journey with her, no matter what the cost. As she sat down in the co-pilots seat next to Ben, she looked at him, immediately reassured by the love in his eyes.

“Let’s do this.” She said, reaching for his hand.

Ben smiled at her, lacing his fingers with hers. Rey could see how it came from deep inside to light his eyes and spread into every part of him. It was beautiful. He knew what she was thinking without her having to say a word. Rey knew then, that even if the world around her started collapsing, that her heart would not get crushed as long as she was looking at him.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	53. A Shocking Find

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very for the kind reviews on this story._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Three-A Shocking Find **

Being back on Jakku dredged up painful memories for Rey. As soon as she felt the dry desert heat blistering her skin when she walked down the Falcon’s opened ramp, she wanted to turn around and run right back inside the comforting confines of the ship. It was only her hand clinging tightly to Ben’s that stopped her. Those painful memories were books with chapters, deep and horrible; and so, she decided to leave them on the shelf to gather dust. It was a coping mechanism. If she was able to choose when to pick them up if she needed to learn something, to gain a perspective that helped her move forward, at least it meant she was in control. Utilizing those memories, using them to her advantage to re-see situations through the lens of their needs and traumas rather than her own. She wanted today, tomorrow and every day after to be wonderful; she wanted to choose what to write on those blank pages.

Ben could feel everything she was feeling. Rey hid nothing from him. “You’ve got this.” He promised, squeezing her fingers reassuringly. “You’re not alone.”

Rey put on a fake smile. It wasn’t for Ben’s benefit. He knew it wasn’t real. The reason she did this was to hide her pain from the others. She knew how concerned they were about her. She sensed Han and Chewie’s worried eyes on her. Even little BB-8 was more jittery than usual as he emitted the occasional anxious beep.

Niima Outpost hadn’t changed. Rey felt like she had never left. The junkyard settlement was still bustling with scavengers, many of whom did a double-take when they recognized Rey and even more so when their startled gazes landed on her companions. Chewie was a commanding presence all on on his own-his hairy seven foot something frame was enough to intimidate anyone-but Ben, striding purposefully on the Wookie’s right, was proving to have as much of an overawing effect as Chewbacca. Ben had the kind of face that stopped people in their tracks. He was used to that, the sudden pause in a person’s natural expression when they looked his way, followed by overcompensating as they tried to hastily stifle their overt admiration at the sight of such a handsome man. Ben, modest to a fault about his looks, took their curious stares the wrong way and he glared at them threateningly, making them quickly cower under his steely gaze.

Han exchanged an amused glance with Rey as they made their way toward the concession stand where the scavengers brought their finds in exchange for supplies from Unkar Plutt, who operated from the center of an awning-roofed blockhouse. As they drew nearer, they could hear Plutt’s gruff baritone ringing out as he berated a young scavenger about his meagre haul. “NO portions today. This stuff is worthless. Stop wasting my time.”

As the cruel sun beat down on top of her head, Rey could feel her anger rising to match it. She shaded her eyes with her hand as she peered in the Crolute’s direction. Like many of his kind, Plutt was a hulking specimen. His gelatinous body tissue sagged unsettlingly from his bulky body, his flipper like feet were stuffed into a standard pair of humanoid boots, and he was dressed in scrappy battle-armour. He was unaware of the trouble coming his way as he continued to berate the hapless young scavenger boy in front of him.

Without being aware of what she was doing, Rey’s hand closed around the hilt of her lightsaber. Anger, pain, sadness - so intertwined were her emotions that she couldn’t think straight. She was lost in the past, she didn’t see the scrawny teenage boy cowering in front of Plutt, she only saw herself. How often had she been in the same position when she was little, standing half-starved in front of the brutish junk boss, begging for scraps. Ben only became aware of her intentions at the last minute. Before he had a chance to stop her, Rey had ignited her saber and was charging toward Plutt, her pretty features twisted into a feral snarl.

* * *

All rationale had completely left Rey. The shimmering blue blade of her saber came powering down, ready to cleave Unkar Plutt’s head from his body. Her aim was strong and true but was deflected at the last possible second by Ben’s weapon. There was a shower of red and blue sparks as their blades connected. Plutt let out an undignified grunt of fear as he scrambled away from the clashing lightsabers. The gaunt looking teenage scavenger boy scarpered, not willing to stay around and await the outcome of the fight.

“ _Rey!_ ” Ben’s voice telepathically invaded Rey’s mind as he tried to pierce the red mist of her rage. “ _Stand down! This is not the way_.”

Rey scowled ferociously at him as her arm shot out and she used the Force to blast him backwards. Ben landed heavily a few feet away, the soft sand cushioning his fall. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Han and Chewie running toward Rey-the Wookie was in the lead, with Han following breathlessly in his wake. Ben was faster than either of them. He quickly regained his footing and sprinted back to Rey, calling upon the Force to pull the legacy saber out of her grasp before she actually followed through on killing Plutt. Ben could feel through their bond just how lived Rey was in her righteous anger, so lost in the moment and the torment her brain was in.

How many times in his life had he been in the exact same position?

Too many to count.

How often had he wished he had someone to stop him before he completely unraveled and spiraled out of control?

All the time.

A battle of wills ensued. Ben continued to attempt to pull her lightsaber toward him. Tension built in Rey’s face as she refused to give it up. In the end the pressure of the Force from both users proved to be too much and to their twin horror the weapon split in two.

* * *

While Rey sobbed in Ben’s arms, filled with shame at what she had done, BB-8 carefully gathered up the shattered remains of the broken saber. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She gasped; her eyes glimmered with water as she cried an ocean of tears. There was static in her head. She could hear her own sounds, like a distressed child, raw from the inside. It was taking something out of her she didn't know she had left to give. It was a response to how much she had buried inside. It was coming out now, in the most brutal way, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

As he held her tightly to the contours of his body, Ben could feel the deep, emotional pain swirling in her brain. “Its not your fault.” He told her again and again. “Sometimes we do things because our emotions are driving us that way... all those things that hurt you, sweetheart, I wish I could take all the pain away.”

Ben stroked her hair and her breathing slowed. Eventually her tears stopped, leaving only their tell-tale wet tracks down her face. He could soothe her like no-one else. Rey closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest as she matched her breathing to his, slow and steady.

* * *

Unkar Plutt was trapped between the seething Wookie and an equally enraged Han Solo. He held his hands up in front of his face to shield it from the weapons pointed in his face. He didn’t know which was worse-decapitation from a lightsaber, a blaster bolt to the face, or to the heart from the Wookie’s wicked looking bowcaster.

“What do you want from me?” He grunted in fear.

“The truth.” Han demanded as he took the safety off his blaster. “So, you better start talking. And you better make it quick. I’m well known for my itchy trigger finger.”

Plutt broke out into a cold sweat. By the fire glowing in Han’s eyes, he could well believe it. His eyes darted nervously to Chewbacca and he gulped in fear. There was nothing more frightening then an angry Wookie. “Yes. I’ll tell you. Anything. Just don’t kill me.” He pleaded as he sank onto his knees in front of them.

* * *

The desert at twilight was a vast undulating sea, punctuated by the shadowy silhouettes of the shabby buildings dotted around Niima outpost. Rey was feeling calmer now. Ben’s devotion continued to amaze her. While Han and Chewie continued their interrogation of Plutt on her behalf, Ben had held her in his arms for hours, soothing her with his unique brand of comfort. He gently rubbed the tears away with his fingers when she began to cry again. The simple touch of affection sent a wave of butterflies coursing through her veins, their fluttering wings easing the dread that had settled in her stomach like a lead weight.

The door to the concession stand opened and Han and Chewie emerged into the soft glowing light from the sky as the suns dipped below the horizon. Immediately Rey and Ben zeroed in on the non-descript box that Chewie was carrying. It was reminiscent of the one that had housed Anakin’s saber in the vaults of Takodana castle.

“What’s that?” Rey asked Han tremulously.

Han’s face was grave when he answered. “Your parents left it behind.” He explained, his tone gentle. “They gave it to Plutt for safekeeping.”

“Have you looked inside?” Ben questioned his father as his fingers tightened around Rey’s.

“No.” Han motioned for Chewie to put the box down onto the ground in front of Rey. “This is for the kid’s eyes only.” He said, drawing back a little.

Rey’s face paled as she stared down at the non-descript box. She suddenly felt afraid. “I’m scared to open it.” She admitted to Ben in a low voice.

“Do you want me to?” He offered.

Rey jerked her head in acknowledgement. Ben squeezed her fingers comfortingly before letting go of her hand so he could kneel down in the sand. He paused for a few seconds before reaching out and flipping the lid open. There was a quiet gasp from Rey as she fell onto her knees beside him when the box finally revealed its secret. Nestled inside the box was a lightsaber. Rey felt her heart pumping with excitement as she eagerly reached for it. As soon as her fingers wrapped around the hilt, an eerie feeling of familiarity coursed through her. Rey searched her memories but came up blank and it frustrated her. Who did this saber belong to?

Glancing to the side at Ben, she found his gaze equally as curious. Carefully she ignited it, releasing the shimmering blue blade. She stared at it wonderingly before exchanging a long look with Ben. The weapon gave off a pleasant hum as if it was in harmony with the one who was wielding it. Rey had never felt entirely comfortable using Anakin’s saber. She always felt like it was on loan, a ridiculous notion she always thought, until she held this saber in her hand. It was only when she shut it down and looked in Han’s direction that she noted the tension in the older man’s face, which was mirrored in Chewie’s.

“What’s wrong?” Rey asked from her kneeling position beside Ben.

“I recognize that saber.” Han confessed hoarsely.

“How?” Ben and Rey said in unison.

Han exchanged a long look with Chewie before answering. “Because I met the man who used to wield it.” He took in a deep, shuddering breath before continuing. “It belonged to Old Ben Kenobi.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	54. Pieces of a Puzzle

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Four-Pieces of a Puzzle **

“Old Ben Kenobi remained like a beacon of hope to Leia even after his death. That’s why she insisted on naming you after him.” Han explained as his eyes wandered from Rey’s stunned face to that of his son. He paused, suddenly feeling like he had forgotten to breathe. He was unable to continue, the shock robbing him of his voice as Kenobi’s name bounced around inside his skull.

It was no secret to Ben that he had been named after the famous Jedi master. Obi-Wan Kenobi was considered a legend by the time of the New Republic Era. The fame of Kenobi's name and his deeds as a Jedi had weighed heavily on Ben when he was a child, growing up he had secretly harboured feelings of insecurity due to the expectations that had been thrust on him because of his heritage. It had made him resentful toward the late Jedi, especially as he thought that everyone expected him to be like his namesake despite never knowing Kenobi. It was part of the reason why Ben hated his name as it reminded him of a legacy that he believed had been built on lies.

Rey sensed Ben’s ambivalence through their Force bond and she reached out to him. When she curled her fingers around his, she felt his shoulders relax. They really were each other’s best source of comfort. The corners of Ben’s mouth lifted up into a small smile as he turned to face her. He rubbed his thumb across the palm of her hand in a sweet gesture of reassurance. “ _I’m fine.”_ He promised.

Letting go of his hand, Rey returned her attention to the non-descript box that had housed the lightsaber. Surely there had to be something more? Pulling the box toward her, she balanced it carefully on her knees and began to rummage around inside, looking for something…anything to give her further clues about her parents. She had so many more questions now they knew the lightsaber belonged to Old Ben Kenobi…

_How did the lightsaber come into their possession?_

_Were they connected to the famous Jedi master in some way?_

_Was she?_

_What did it all mean?_

Rey’s frustration began to build when she found nothing else inside the box. There had to be more. There just had to. She was so sick of being denied answers. The harder she looked, the more questions she was left with. As her annoyance continued to grow, she felt like she might explode-she took a deep breath. She wanted to shout, have a tantrum and beat her hands on the ground like a toddler. She wanted to vent, let it out, but knew it would prove a useless venture.

“There’s nothing!” Rey cried as she pushed the box off her lap. It toppled into the hot sand in front of her.

Ben wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her arm. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. While they were immersed in each other, BB-8 sidled up to them. The inquisitive little droid studied the non-descript box for a minute. To the naked human eye, it did appear to be empty inside but the droid’s sharper vision had caught something that Rey’s had not. The box had a false bottom. A sharp cutting tool shot out of the little astromech’s base and he proceeded to cut into the ancient wood.

“Stop it.” Rey said in alarm when she noticed what BB-8 was doing. She made as if to grab the box but Ben stopped her.

“Wait.” He cautioned her as he watched the little droid with interest.

“He’s found something.” Han said gruffly as he hunkered down next to BB-8. Chewie joined him and soon the jittery little astromech found himself surrounded on all sides. He hurriedly completed his task and rolled backwards when the bottom off the box fell away, revealing the hidden compartment underneath. Nestled inside was a datapad.

A quiet gasp left Rey’s lips as she watched Ben pat BB-8 gently on his dome head in thanks before reaching for the datapad. The datapad was an inexpensive small electronic device used for storing information. Taking the place of the more primitive book, a datapad could store textual, graphic, and holographic data. They were commonly used as notebooks, day planners, calculators, and sketchpads. Some models could interface with and download information from larger computer networks. Most datapads came standard equipped with a touch-sensitive colour screen, audio pickups, headphone ports, and power packs. This one was clearly an older model.

“Rey.” Ben said carefully as he passed her the datapad. She was clearly in shock. Her fingers were jumping rhythmically, as if in spasm. She nearly dropped it and Ben had to fold his hands around hers to keep them steady. “Do you want me to?” He offered.

“No.” Rey said shakily. “I need to.”

Ben, Han, Chewie and BB-8 formed a protective circle around Rey as she activated the datapad and began to skim through its contents. Her eyes desperately searched through the mine of information it held, seeking that one tangible connection to her parents. It was comprised mainly of star charts; some she didn’t recognise. It seemed the user had been documenting their travels through the galaxy, and whoever the user was had travelled extensively, almost as if they were on the run or looking for something.

“This must have belonged to my parents.” Rey said to Ben and the others. She continued flicking through the star charts until she came across one that she recognised. “Tatooine.” She murmured.

“What?” Ben looked over her shoulder to get a closer look. “That was Luke’s home world.”

A list of the planet’s local bylaws began to download as Rey widened the map on the screen using her fingers. She swiped them away impatiently and continued trawling through the star charts. “I don’t recognise half of these.” She snapped impatiently.

“Stop!” Ben said loudly, startling Rey. He pulled the datapad out of her grasp and stared at it with wide eyes.

“Ben.” Han admonished him. “Be gentle with it. Those datapads can be sensitive. You could lose vital information if you’re not careful. “

“The Jedi temple.” Ben interrupted him harshly. “Look, this chart is mapping its direct location. No one but a privileged few knew the co-ordinates to Skywalker’s academy.”

The surprise registered on Han’s face before he could hide it. He took the datapad from Ben and studied the contents with a practised eye. The more he saw, the more he was convinced he was seeing a pattern. He motioned for the others to draw closer. “This is like a record, history, or rather a collection of evidence about significant places in Luke’s life. Whoever collated this stuff was clearly desperate to find him. But why?”

“My parents were looking for Luke Skywalker?” Rey questioned; her confusion clear. Even though it was blisteringly hot she began to shake as if she was cold. She wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t understand.”

Ben put his arms back around her and held her close. “Its like a puzzle. We just need to fit the pieces together.”

Rey’s eyes turned glassy with tears of frustration. Why was nothing ever simple? She felt like she was hitting one brick wall after another. She sank into the comfort of Ben’s embrace to steady her nerves, grateful that she wasn’t alone. “I’m so tired, Ben.” She said, her voice was muffled against his chest.

BB-8 was saddened by the tone of defeat in her voice. He rolled forward, his round form bumping into her lower leg. Rey pulled away from Ben slightly to look down at the little droid. “I want to help.” He beeped at her in his binary language.

“I don’t think there’s much you can do, BB-8.” Rey sighed as she discreetly wiped away a stray tear. “But thanks anyway.”

Han exchanged a long look with Chewie before deciding to intervene. “You should never underestimate a droid.” He said to Rey as he lowered himself down to BB-8’s level. He hooked the datapad up to BB-8 and looked expectantly at the little orange and white astromech. “Work your magic, bud.” He said.

While they all waited with baited breath, BB-8 immediately went to work. With his fast processing system, he began to sort through the data on the pad. He soon came across some encrypted files. Running a quick diagnostic, the clever little droid soon broke through the coded information. “I’ve done it!” He chirped proudly. Seconds later he beamed a three-dimensional hologram in front of him, revealing the image of a woman dressed in a long grey hooded cloak. The hood concealed most of her face, but the little it did reveal was significant-a pair of striking hazel eyes.

It was Rey’s mother.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	55. A Shocking Truth

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Five-A Shocking Truth **

Rey became overwhelmed with emotion when she saw the hologram of her mother. She wished the deep hood wasn’t obscuring so much of the woman’s face, only her eyes and a glimpse of pale skin were visible. Rey focused her gaze on those remarkable eyes, marvelling at how similar they were to her own. They were a mixture of hazel and honey. They shone like sunlight on polished stone and hid a wealth of secrets that Rey would never know. She found herself reaching out to the static image, but when her fingers touched it, the hologram broke apart like a mirage in the desert.

“Mom! Come back! Please, come back!” Rey cried hoarsely when the image shattered just like her heart. She pleaded with BB-8 to get it back but the poor little astromech couldn’t fulfil her wish. As soon as he had broken the code the data on the pad began to quickly degrade-a failsafe built in by the owner to hide sensitive information.

Rey was five years old again, crying desperately for her parents not to leave her behind. It was like she was being abandoned all over again. Tears leaked out of her eyes, it was more than crying, it was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from someone drained of all hope. The pain that flowed from her was as palpable as the dry heat beating down from Jakku’s cruel sun. Ben remained at her side, struggling to keep his tears silent, wishing that he could take on the burden of her pain and emotional torment so she wouldn’t have to suffer the awful memories anymore.

Each new wave was a hot trail of agony as Rey’s slim, bare shoulders shook in each rake of emotion through her slim frame. Han and Chewie were struggling seeing Rey so distraught. Her breakdown was just too much to bear. It had clearly been a long time coming. The two of them were forced to walk away, leaving Ben to bear the emotional weight of Rey’s collapse alone.

“That crook Plutt knows more then he’s told us, Chewie.” Han said gruffly when they were out of earshot of young couple. “There has to be more to it. I can’t believe her parents would be so cruel as to just dump her in this wasteland. Why leave that box behind? It was like they were expecting to come back.”

Chewie was in total agreement. He believed that the brutish Crolute had given up the box so easily as a way to get rid of them and distract them from digging deeper in the part he’d played in her parent’s disappearance. “Do you think he might have killed them?” He growled in Shyriiwook.

“Not directly, but he might have given up their location to someone who wished them harm for a huge fee. Its obvious they were keeping on the down low for a reason.” Han ran his fingers through his greying hair and met his Wookie companion’s eyes. “If direct threats aren’t enough to get Plutt to talk then maybe taking away what he loves the most will get him to spill the truth.”

“His wealth and power.” Chewie’s eyes darkened as he met Han’s fiery gaze. They both turned at the same time to stare at Unkar Plutt’s stall in the concession stand. The Crolute never left the stand because the harsh environment of Jakku disagreed with his aquatic nature. It was widely believed that most of his resources were stored there. “Maybe its time to share the wealth with the people.”

“I like your thinking.” Hans familiar lopsided grin took over his face as he pulled his blaster out of its holster and took the lead.

* * *

Since they had been gone, Plutt had gathered his hired thugs around him. He stood amongst them, feeling emboldened now he had protection. He mocked Han and Chewie from his position of safety, making it clear they were getting nothing further from him. It only took one loud roar from Chewbacca before Plutt’s men abandoned the junk boss, leaving him exposed. They knew better than to mess with an enraged Wookie.

Unkar couldn’t believe it. He looked more like a bloated blo-fish then ever as he was suddenly confronted by Han’s blaster and Chewie’s bowcaster. “Come on now. I’m sure we can come do some kind of negotiation.” He said hastily.

“The time for negotiation is over.” Han smirked as he motioned for Chewie to start pulling the concession stand apart.

“What are you doing? Stop!” Plutt cried, emitting a stale fishy odour in his panic. “That’s my property.”

Han grimaced as he tried not to breathe in the stagnant aroma coming off the disgusting Crolute. “Not anymore. This now belongs to the people.”

In the grip of silent panic, wild eyes bulging, pupils dilated, and heart racing-Unkar Plutt fell to his knees and begged Han not to give his wealth away. Han just shrugged in response while watching Chewie dole out food, weaponry and supplies to the half starved but ecstatic scavengers outside the stand.

“Alright! Enough! I’ll tell you everything I know.” Plutt pleaded with Han as he watched the wealth, he had built up from a lifetime spent swindling and praying on others less fortunate, dwindle away in a matter of minutes.

“Chewie.” Han called to his friend. “It’s time to shut up shop for the day.”

Chewbacca let out a loud roar as he chased off the last few remaining scavengers and watched them run off with their haul. He closed the stand and joined Han and Plutt. “Start talking.” He commanded in Shyriiwook.

Unkar began to sweat which only added to the foul fragrance wafting off his tough hide. Han and Chewie tried not to gag at the appalling smell and remained irresolute. “You see it was too good of a deal to pass up.” Unkar implored as he tried to defend himself.

“What was?” Han scowled.

Unkar Plutt swallowed thickly as he hurriedly tried to explain himself. “When I came across the couple and the kid, their ship was in bad shape. They were battle-scarred and weary, obviously on the run from someone or something. The little girl-Rey-she was just a scrap of a thing, too skinny and clearly underfed. They all were. The woman was in the worst shape of all. It was clear she was dying. They desperately needed parts to fix their ship. For a fee I let them scour the junkyard for what they needed…. even sent some of my best scavengers to the ships graveyard to get the parts we didn’t have here.”

“And?” Han prompted when Unkar descended into silence.

“They were not my responsibility.” Plutt continued defensively. “But suddenly I was saddled with a dying woman who needed medical attention and a man who was barely holding it together for the sake of the child.”

“What did you do?” Chewie growled menacingly as he jabbed Unkar roughly.

“I did the bare minimum and more than I was obliged to. I gave them food and shelter while they waited for the other scavengers to come back with the parts they needed.”

“And in the meantime, bled them dry of everything they had left, I bet.” Han cut in bitingly.

“I am not a charity. Everything comes at a price.” Unkar retorted.

“You bastard.” Han’s trigger finger was getting itchy. It was with huge restraint that he didn’t just put the selfish Crolute out of his misery once and for all.

Plutt’s mouth drew into a thin line. “I had a living to make. Only the strongest survive. Twenty-four hours after I first encountered them, the woman was dead.”

“Gods!” Han’s face paled in shock as his eyes met Chewie’s.

“The man she was with was a blubbering wreck. The kid-Rey-was the one trying to console him. I couldn’t leave a dead body lying exposed, not in the desert heat. So as an act of mercy I got some of my men to take the woman’s corpse and bury it somewhere in the desert.” Unkar said callously.

Han was so grateful that Rey wasn’t the one being forced to listen to this heartless monster’s confession about her parents. He felt sickened, he couldn’t imagine what it would do to her. She was distressed enough.

Plutt, oblivious to what Han or Chewie were thinking, blundered on. “The scavengers finally came back with the parts, but when I demanded payment, the man revealed he didn’t have it. He’d lied to me, treating me like some kind of idiot, probably assuming I would be an easy touch. But I am not a sentimental fool. Their dire circumstances were nothing to do with me. He owed me. If he wanted the parts for his ship, he had to give me something in return.”

“And you took Rey as payment.” Han drawled sarcastically.

“Not as payment but as security if he didn’t come back. We struck a bargain. He could have the parts to fix his damn ship, he would leave his daughter with me until he managed to accumulate enough credits to pay me the rest of my fee, with a percentage on top for my trouble.” Plutt continued. “I told him I didn’t believe that he’d come back, but he was adamant that he would. He was leaving to meet up with someone who he said would easily be able to pay my fee. When I expressed my disbelief, he got angry and told me that if their ship hadn’t broken down, they would have already met up with this man. They had been searching for him for a long time in order to hand their daughter over to him for safekeeping.”

“What man?” Chewie demanded sharply in Shyriiwook. “Give us a name.”

A cruel smile twisted Unkar Plutt’s features into something ugly. “Skywalker. Jedi master Luke Skywalker.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	56. Pasaana

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. I know the Kenobi connection has divided some readers on this story. I wasn’t expecting it to be so controversial. I took a few days away from this story and debated whether to continue with it but ultimately decided to carry on after a few people PM’d me on fanfiction.net and asked me to continue as they were still enjoying it. So here goes (runs away and hides) …._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Six-Pasaana **

In the semi-darkness Ben’s cuddles felt like a little touch of heaven, warm and cosy. Rey wished she could extend the night just so she could stay close to him for longer, safe in his embrace. Ben’s arms wrapped right around her brought her a peace she’d always craved, a calming of the storms in her weary heart. After Han and Chewie had retired early to give the young couple space after sharing the latest shocking revelations from Plutt, Ben and Rey had stayed up late talking. Their conversation had been so much more than words. It was the reassuring smiles, the gentle hugs and the light in their eyes. That they were both elevated by each other's presence was obvious and even the silences were comfortable. They savoured moments like these, where they could completely relax in the company of the other and feel that sense of peace that comes from feeling loved and protected.

“Do you think my parents were taking me to Luke to keep me safe or so he could train me? Did they know of my latent Force powers?” Rey asked. “Were they Force sensitive too?”

Ben listened to her worries and fears with an attentiveness that was just a part of who he was. His responses were balanced and thoughtful. And in his words was a kindness, a concern that is so quick that, for him, it was natural. From what he said next Rey could tell he was thinking so deeply, already with a strategy that was several moves ahead of what she was capable of right now in her heightened emotional state.

“For them to go to so much trouble to track down Skywalker, I think it’s a bit of both. If someone was pursuing them, leaving you with him was the safest option. They must have sensed your power, so I’m guessing that one or both of them had some kind of Force sensitivity. They clearly thought my uncle would be the best person to train you, to teach you to harness those powers, whilst also providing the protection they couldn’t give you.”

Soft wisps of fine brunette hair swept past Rey’s ear and caressed the skin of her neck, jaw, cheeks and around her rather beautiful, deep eyes. Those luminous eyes rimmed with thick, long, dark lashes that brushed her cheeks every time she closed them, seemed to bore into Ben every time he looked into them and nearly lost himself. Suffering, loneliness, longing; her eyes held all those deep-seated emotions and many more. He was so desperate to take her pain away. The knowledge that their paths could have crossed so much earlier if Rey’s father had managed to keep that meeting with his uncle was weighing on him heavily. Just like it was with Rey. It seemed whoever her father was running from had found him before he had a chance to meet Luke. Ben couldn’t help wondering how different his and Rey’s lives would have been if they had a chance to connect earlier. There were so many what if’s, it was tragic.

“Deep down I always worried that my parents had abandoned me because they didn’t love me.” Rey admitted sadly. The tears glazing her eyes sparkled in the soft light as she confessed her deepest fear. “But they did. They really did.”

“Yes, they did. Who wouldn’t love you? I do.” Ben answered. There was something solemn swimming in his eyes. Their stunning, deep brown held a truth that his face could not hide.

Even though he had just declared his love, Rey felt a despairing chill wash over her because she knew what he was thinking. She looked away; she couldn't bear it. Then a tear rolled down his cheek. She didn't see it, but could feel him crying beside her. “You think it was Snoke my parents were running from?” She challenged him. “He targeted you when you were still in the womb, maybe he was trying to do the same with me. We’re connected by the Force. I remember he taunted us on the Supremacy, saying he was the one who bridged our minds. If one or both of my parents were Force sensitive, maybe they sensed it somehow, and went into hiding as a way to protect me while they looked for Luke. They thought he would have been the best person to protect me. It must have taken them some time to track him down…years even. All those star charts on the datapad, it was like they were following a set of clues. They were so close….” She let out a shaky sigh. “I always thought they were no-one…but they chose to be. They did it to protect me.”

Ben’s hand moved around her middle, warm and soft. In seconds Rey’s body was moulded to his, sharing his body heat as easily as he shared his heart. She felt his chest rising and falling with hers, their breathing in unison, and the warm blood that they could feel in each other’s' embrace.

“I love you, Ben.” Rey’s heartfelt words lingered on her lips as she sought to kiss his.

Ben’s heart exploded.

* * *

When Rey left Jakku with the others she knew it would be for the last time. She vowed never to go back in her lifetime. They left behind a much poorer Plutt. Stripped of his possessions he was no better than the scavengers who had taken them from him. His slavish rule was over. It was up to the scavengers who had been the victims of his brutal regime to decide for themselves who to elect in his place. Rey hoped they would choose wisely.

They were now on their way to Pasaana to rendezvous with Lando Calrissian. Han was looking forward to seeing his old friend. During the journey he entertained them with the story of how he had won the Millennium Falcon off Lando during a game of sabacc on Numidian Prime. Ben had heard this story many times during his childhood, his father embellished the tale every time he told it. Still, Han’s tall tales proved a good distraction to Rey, who was still coming to terms with her parent’s sacrifice.

* * *

Pasaana was a desert planet in the Expansion Region's Ombakond sector, located in the Middian system. It was the home world of the Aki-Aki species. The main economic activity on Pasaana was dust farming. Even though the Aki-Aki mostly rejected all post-Starflight technologies, this was a rare exception. They were due to arrive during a legendary event. Lando had informed Han that the Festival of the Ancestors was underway, only held every 42 years, it drew many people from afar.

The arid air hit Rey in the face as soon as she stepped off the Falcon. It was all too reminiscent of Jakku. If it wasn’t for Ben holding her hand she would have turned around and walked right back up the ramp. The Forbidden Valley was packed with 500,000 Aki-Aki and 5,000 off-worlders during the festival. The lack of amenities, such as hotels, spaceports and restaurants, meant that only the really desperate or really determined usually ventured there. Local chiefs hired mercenaries for security during this busy time. They would scan the crowds, looking for other hired guns, or fugitives. The chiefs did not want to become involved in galactic affairs, but they did want to keep the celebration peaceful.

Rey began to relax as they walked among the crowds. Ben had his hood up to shield his face, but he was still a noticeable figure, being so tall he stood out amongst the shorter crowds, much like Chewbacca. In contrast to her desolate home world of Jakku, Rey found Pasaana teeming with culture. She stopped for a moment, gazing with interest at a large group of Aki-Aki children. One of the female Aki-Aki tending to the younglings caught Rey’s attention. She was dressed in a blue daswoad robe that were typical of her species. She approached Rey and smiled, introducing herself in her native tongue.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t understand you.” Rey apologised.

BB-8 chose this moment to step in. He was no C-3PO but he had a basic understanding of some languages. He beeped at Rey, translating what the Aki-Aki female had just said to Rey. “She says welcome.” He chirped in his binary language.

“Thank you.” Rey said to the smiling female Aki-Aki.

“My name is Nambi Ghima.” The female said, which BB-8 translated again for Rey’s benefit.

“That's an excellent name. I'm Rey.”

“I would be honoured to your family name too.” Nambi asked.

Rey’s own smile faltered a little when she responded. “I don't have one. I'm just Rey."

“She’ll soon be a Solo if my son has anything to do with it.” Han mumbled in an aside to Chewie. The Wookie let out a faint whine of agreement.

Nambi Ghima’s eyes softened as she gifted Rey with a fertility necklace made of husk. She placed it around Rey’s neck and smiled in pleasure. “One day you will be surrounded by children of your own.” She said with certainty.

Rey glanced at Ben standing beside her. Even though his face was partially obscured by his hood, she noticed the way his eyebrows raised a centimetre or two, his eyes twinkled in amusement as if he knew something she didn’t. They were like melted chocolate. Warm and oh so addictive. Rey found herself becoming lost in them until she caught Han and Chewie nudging each other out of the corner of her eye. She scowled at them in annoyance, which set them off laughing. Rolling her eyes at their antics, she bid farewell to Nambi, thanking her again for the necklace before resuming her journey through the swarming crowds.

* * *

“Still the same old scoundrel.” Lando greeted Han with a broad smile as they embraced briefly, patting each other on the back.

“You haven’t changed.” Han laughed as he took in Calrissian’s ornate clothing complete with his signature cape. He turned to introduce Rey. “This is the kid I told you about.” He said, drawing her forward.

“Hi.” Rey smiled shyly in front of the old legend. “Its nice to finally meet you. Han has told me all about you.”

“I bet he has.” Lando chuckled as he clasped Rey’s hand in his warm one. “Everything you heard about me is true.”

Rey felt her cheeks growing warm as she remembered some of Han’s wilder stories about Calrissian’s past exploits. She felt Ben tense beside her and looked up at him nervously. She could sense his anxiety; he was clearly concerned about seeing Lando. The two had been close when he was a young boy, Lando was just as much of a surrogate uncle as Chewie. She watched as Ben slowly drew back his hood, revealing his face.

Lando’s jovial expression vanished, his brows drawing together as his curious gaze met Ben’s for the first time. There was no judgement or blame in Lando’s eyes as Ben had expected, instead he only saw compassion. “So, you’ve finally returned to the fold.” Lando drawled. “Good. Welcome home, kid.” He reached out and embraced Ben just like he had Han, taking Ben completely by surprise.

Rey found she had tears in her eyes as she watched them hug. This was a big moment for Ben and she shared his emotional joy at the reunion. She could see how much it was affecting Han and Chewie by the moisture glimmering in their eyes. Rey discreetly wiped away a tear and smiled happily up at Ben as he let go of Lando and reached for her hand.

Lando’s expression turned serious as he looked over at the packed crowds. The festival was still in full swing. He motioned them to follow him into his treadable vehicle. A treadable was a ground vehicle used to traverse the deserts of the planet Pasaana. Designed after abandoned crawlers by the native Aki-Aki, the treadables consisted of a central cage surrounded by a pair of continuous treads. Lando had turned the vehicle into a mobile home. It was full of his belongings and something else.

As soon as Ben and Rey stepped inside, they felt her. They had been so caught up in the reunion with Lando they hadn’t felt the ripple through the Force of her presence. A shudder tore through them both as they realised Lando had lured them there under false pretences. Han was still laughing with his old friend as he climbed in after them, with Chewie and BB-8 following close behind. It was only then Han saw the solitary cloaked figure hiding at the rear of the vehicle and his laughter died on his lips.

Leia Organa Solo stepped out of the shadows, pulling back her hood as she faced her family.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	57. The Price of a Mother's Love

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Seven-The Price of a Mother’s Love **

“Ben.”

Ben felt the tightness in his throat as soon as his mother spoke his name. He stood, rigid as a winded man. It was only his strength of will that kept him from gasping. Only through his parted lips he drew tiny breaths as he tried to control his breathing. He would not show weakness in front of Leia Organa.

“I know I am the last person you wanted to see…” Leia tried again.

“You said it.” Ben cut in scathingly as he finally regained use of his vocal cords.

“What are you doing here, Leia?” Han demanded. He shot Lando an angry glare. “I can’t believe you’d ambush us like this. Some friend!”

“Ah, don’t involve me in your marital discord!” Lando replied testily. “I’m friends with both of you.”

“But you did involve yourself by luring us here under false pretences.” Han argued.

“Don’t blame Lando, Han.” Leia cut in. “He was doing me a favour.”

“Don’t defend him, sweetheart. Just don’t!” Han raised his forefinger at her in frustration as he felt his temper rising.

“Dad.” Ben gripped Han’s shoulder in an effort to calm his father down. Even though he shared Han’s budding frustration, he had learned from past experience it was a pointless exercise when dealing with his mother. “Maybe you should get some air.” He suggested.

“Yeah.” Han muttered as he rubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He avoided looking in his estranged wife’s direction again as he exited the treadable.

“I’ll go talk to him.” Lando said as he made to follow his friend outside.

“I doubt he’s in the mood to speak to you right now.” Ben reminded Calrissian pointedly. His mother’s unexpected appearance had soured his joyful reunion with his surrogate uncle.

“I’ll make him listen.” Lando wasn’t fazed in the slightest. “And I suggest you do the same. I didn’t invite you all here to hurt any of you. Just listen to what your mother has to say before you make any judgements.” He advised before disappearing outside.

Chewie gave Leia a long look before following after Lando. He knew what Han was like when he was feeling betrayed. There was a good chance he was going to have to pull him off Lando if things got too heated between them. This left Ben and Rey alone with Leia with little BB-8 as their silent witness.

* * *

Leia Organa Solo-once a senator, a princes and leader of the Rebel Alliance, now in her later years a General of the Resistance-had never lost her regal bearing. She had aged, Ben could see that, but somehow the deep lines on her face had increased her majesty. She stood before him, observing him with a quiet authority that was unnerving.

“What do you want, General Organa?” He asked flatly. “I thought we had said all we needed to say during our last meeting.”

“Ben.” Leia said gravely. The way she said his name made Ben feel like a teenage boy again-young, awkward and gauche-in front of his august parent. It irritated the hell out of him that his mother could still make him feel like an overgrown boy. “Circumstances have changed.” Her brown eyes lost their harshness, becoming rounder, glossier. “The Resistance needs….” She paused as if giving herself a second to rethink her choice of words. “I need your help. Both of you.” Her words drew Rey into the inner circle of her pleading gaze.

Ben’s long fingers found their way around Rey’s as he sought reassurance from her. He felt her thumb brush against his palm and this simple touch allowed him a semblance of calm. “Rey already gave you her answer. It was no.” He replied evenly. He was surprised at the steadiness of his tone as he responded to her ridiculous request. Rey’s calming influence had everything to do with that.

“This is unrelated to our last discussion.” Leia responded fervently. Her eyes were locked on his face. “I said this involves both of you.”

“You want my help?” Ben questioned incredulously. “You must really be desperate.”

“Ben, stop being so flippant.” Leia remonstrated with him as she let her impatience slip through. “What is happening in the galaxy right now Is bigger than either you or I. We need to put aside our differences and work together.”

“There is no way I will work with you. Not in this lifetime, General Organa.” Ben stated adamantly. “We are done here. Rey, lets go.”

Rey had stayed quiet during the confrontation between mother and son. She felt it wasn’t her place to intervene. She thought it wise to let Ben handle this himself without her interference. She had already made her position clear to the Resistance General the last time they had spoken to each other when Leia had asked her to act as a poster girl for the Resistance. As Ben had already reminded his mother, her answer had been a resounding no.

When Ben shut his mother down, the resulting silence hung in the air like the suspended moment before a falling glass shatters on the ground. The silence was like a gaping void, poisonous in its nothingness, cruelly underscoring how vapid their conversation had become. It was only when they got ready to exit the treadable that Leia broke it.

“Do you always let my son speak for you?” The barb was aimed in Rey’s direction. “Do you have no voice of your own?”

Rey felt Ben’s fingers tighten around hers in anger but he made sure not to show it on his face. He regarded his mother with indifference, knowing she had said the words to provoke a reaction out of Rey. “I have no influence over Rey. She makes her own choices. Always has.”

The tension was high, Leia knew she should inject love instead of anger, give her son an olive branch instead of hostility, but she had never found it easy with Ben. His indifference and arrogant rejection of her offer made the urge to smack him down to regain the upper hand all the more potent. It was just an endless cycle of push and pull. Instead it took all of Leia’s courage to suppress her irritation with him and try a different approach. She softened her eyes and held out her hand toward him. “I’m sorry….to both of you.” She apologised with as much sincerity as she could muster. “I shouldn’t have said that.” She directed her gaze toward Ben. “I know you doubt it’s the truth, but I love you, Ben. I love you now and I always will. I'll walk away if you need time to cool down, but if you’ll allow me to talk, I think once you’ve heard what I have to say you will stand with me.”

* * *

As he made his way out of the treadable into the open air, Ben’s mind was a jumble of thoughts. His mother’s words fragmented until they became nothing but splinters of words and droplets of silence spun into a kaleidoscopic mishmash of confusion. Somehow the emperor had returned. A mysterious broadcast had been spread across the galaxy presumably from the dead Emperor Palpatine promising revenge. His mother had sent agents to gather intelligence on the broadcast. A spy within the First Order had confirmed their worst fears, the Emperor had indeed returned from the dead and was allied with the First Order.

“Only together can we defeat Darth Sidious, Ben. Luke is gone and you and Rey are our last hope.” Leia had dropped her guard completely as she pleaded her case with him. “Please.” She had added, holding out her hand toward him. “Join me.”

Ben hadn’t been able to take Leia’s hand. Not in that moment. It was just too much. He was being used again. His mother only needed him now because she felt powerless against the new threat. There is all the difference in the world between asking for help without exploiting the person for your own personal gain and deceiving yourself that they are the same. That’s exactly what she was doing, but she refused, or was too blind to see how manipulative she was being.

It was like Snoke all over again. That bastard had manipulated him into believing so many things that now he didn’t know how to differentiate reality anymore. How could he be sure now? How was it possible to distinguish the truth between all the lies and manipulations?

“Ben.” Rey’s gentle voice cut through all the confusion inside his head.

“I don’t know what to do, Rey. She keeps tearing me apart. I want to be free of this pain. Help me.” Ben’s voice was filled with torment.

Rey felt an urge to do something, to comfort him, but also herself. In a moment she rose on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his, she felt his body loosen and hands touch her shoulders. They hovered right there, quite soundless for so long, simply feeling each other's presence. Ben’s heart skipped a beat when her hands found their way to his face, she cradled it lovingly, bringing his mouth back to hers. She kissed him, it was a full on, open mouthed kiss. She was taking control and he loved it. He loved the way her small body melted into his. He held her tighter and tighter until she was the first to break away after what seemed like ages. He saw a determined resolve in her eyes he had never seen before.

“She is not the one in control here, Ben. We are. If she wants our help then we set the terms and conditions. We owe her nothing more than we are prepared to give.” She stated firmly.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	58. Coming Together

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews on the last chapter. Be warned the angst is high in this chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Eight-Coming Together **

Lando didn’t wilt under Han’s icy stare. Instead he matched it. The two men slowly revolved around each other like two combatants in an amphitheatre. Chewbacca rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the whole thing. He would have thought they were too old for this foolishness, but here they were, acting like men half their age. He wondered who was going to throw the first punch. Probably Han, he decided, Chewie knew that his friend lacked patience. Shoot first and ask questions later-that was Solo’s motto. This was Bespin all over again when Calrissian had reluctantly betrayed Han to Darth Vader, except this time it involved Vader’s daughter and Han’s wife, Leia. The irony wasn’t lost on Chewie. He hung back, wavering over his decision whether to intervene or not. It could be quite fun watching the old men trying to outmanoeuvre one another. As he’d predicted it was Han who threw the first punch. Lando avoided it easily while raising his own fists in retaliation. The two men circled each other, exchanging pointed barbs.

This went on for a while. Eventually Chewie got bored of listening to their verbal sparring. The idiots were already out of breath just going around in endless circles with their fists held defensively in front of them. Their circular movements were making him dizzy, it had to be doing the same to them. He noticed Han blink and lurch a little to the right. Not long after Lando did the same. He shook his head as if to clear it. Chewbacca yawned widely, deciding it was best to put the old fools out of their misery and knock their heads together before they collapsed from exhaustion without even landing a single blow on one another.

As the Wookie began to lumber over in their direction, he was stopped in his tracks by the unexpected appearance of Ben and Rey. Chewbacca paused, looking at his surrogate nephew in concern. Ben seemed really shaken up and it made Chewie worry about what had transpired between the troubled young man and his mother. He observed Rey holding tightly onto Ben’s hand while rubbing his arm with the other reassuringly. Chewie was comforted that Ben had Rey looking out for him. She really was a remarkable young woman and he thanked the gods that she had come into Ben’s life when she had. The young couple’s arrival also had the benefit of breaking up Han and Lando’s ridiculous confrontation.

“Ben.” Han instantly forgot about his ‘disagreement’ with Lando when he saw his son’s face. “What happened? What did she do?” He demanded.

“Ease off, Han.” Lando said breathlessly as came to join him. He adjusted his ornate cape so it fitted better over his shoulders. It had become tangled during his confrontation with Han.

“Haven’t you interfered enough!” Han retorted irritably.

Lando scowled and Han scowled right back. Chewie growled his annoyance and roared at them to grow up. “Focus.”

“I am focused.” Han muttered as he turned his back on Lando and walked over to Ben. “Tell your old man what happened.” He said gruffly, reaching up to put his hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“She wants us to join the Resistance.” Ben responded wearily. There was a kind of tired that needs a good night's sleep, and another that needs so much more. For him, it was the kind of tired that was the wearing of the emotions too, coming together with a tired body, it became an ingrained part of a life that isn't lived, but survived, endured. Being around his mother felt like that, it drained him emotionally until he was left feeling numb, left him drowning under the weight of his legacy.

Han was livid. “You already said no. What is she thinking, coming here an…?”

“Han.” Lando cut in forcefully. “Leia had her reasons. Good ones.”

“Well, she fooled you, didn’t she?” Han snapped at Lando.

Ben exchanged a tired glance with Rey. He appreciated his father’s continued attempts to be there for him but right now he just needed Han to listen without kicking off. He felt too drained and stressed to deal with any of it.

“ _Let me_.” Rey, sensing his distress, offered to take the burden from him.

_“I love you_.” Ben’s love and gratitude seeped through their bond like a gentle caress.

_“I love you, too_.” Rey’s response was like a soothing balm to his soul. She finished their telepathic conversation and concentrated on Han. “General Organa did have her reasons.” She felt Ben’s fingers tighten around hers at the mention of his mother. “Circumstances have changed since she last made her offer.”

Han’s expression turned grave as he regarded her thoughtfully. “What has changed?”

Rey sighed. “Somehow the emperor has returned.”

Han stared at her incredulously. As did Chewie. “That’s impossible.”

“Its true, Han.” Lando said, stepping forward. “A mysterious broadcast has been spread across the galaxy presumably from the dead Emperor Palpatine promising revenge. Leia sent agents to gather intelligence on the broadcast. A spy within the First Order has confirmed our worst fears, the Emperor has indeed returned from the dead and has allied with the First Order. The threat is now greater than any of us could possibly have imagined. To defeat it we need to come together not fight each other.”

“Says the man who’s been living like a hermit for the last few years on a desert planet in the Middian system.” Han replied bitingly.

“And why is that?” Lando countered bitterly. An old hurt flashed in his expressive dark eyes as he glared at Han. “You’ve got your boy back in your life but I’ll never get the same chance with my daughter. Losing her was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I had every reason to isolate myself here. So, don’t you dare judge me!”

His impassioned response caught Han off guard and left him feeling immensely guilty. He averted his gaze, swallowing thickly as he fought to regain his composure. Lando mirrored him, staring at the tops of his outlandish boots until he felt Han grip his shoulder and pull him into a hug. “I’m sorry.” Han apologised gruffly. “My stupid mouth runs away with me sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?” Lando joked lamely as he covered up his sadness behind a fake smile. His eyes moistened as he thought about his lost daughter. She had been abducted by the nascent First Order as part of Project Resurrection, ostensibly to build up their army but also targeting the leaders of the former Rebel Alliance. “I searched for her for so long. I couldn’t find her. I just couldn’t…” He closed his eyes briefly as if he was in pain. “Our kids paid the price for what we did, Han. I’ll never get over it. That’s why we need to band together and fight for them now.”

Han nodded, gripping Lando’s shoulder tightly for a minute before letting go. He turned to face Ben and Rey. “Lando’s right. Its time to stop running and fight. Ben?” He said questioningly.

Rey squeezed Ben’s fingers comfortingly as she answered for him, for both of them. “We’ve already discussed it and have decided to fight but on our terms. We won’t be joining the Resistance but are willing to work with them.”

Han looked at the young couple with pride. “I’m proud of both of you. I hope you know that.” He was about to say more when Chewie suddenly engulfed them all in his hairy arms and hugged them. “Get off!” Han complained when he heard Lando’s amused laughter ringing in his ears. “Daft, sentimental Wookie!”

* * *

It was Han who went to tell Leia what had been decided. Ben wasn’t ready to face her again just yet. So, while the others made their way back to the Falcon, Han went to face his estranged wife alone. As he entered the treadable he found Leia pacing. She stopped as soon as she spotted him, quickly concealing her emotions behind an impassive mask. “Han.” She murmured, the sudden softness in her eyes as they settled on her husband revealing a crack in the mask.

“I’m going to keep this short, sweetheart.” Han said evenly. “We’ll come back to Ajan Kloss with you.”

“It’s the right choice, Han.” Leia stepped forward, those same eyes lighting up with relief. “I knew…”

“Let me finish.” Han cut in quickly before he let his own emotions run away with him. “We’re not joining the Resistance but are willing to work alongside you. We will not take orders from you. We’ll be setting our own terms.”

Leia exhaled slowly as if she had been holding her breath. “Han….” She tried again to reach out to him but he immediately withdrew from her and she flinched. “I’m trying with him, Han. I really am trying to reach out to him.” She pleaded. “He just keeps putting obstacles in the way and making it so difficult.”

Han’s face clouded over with disappointment as he listened to her try and defend her poor choices. The worst flaw a person can have is that of self-deception. Leia was like that. She felt like her good deeds meant she was a good person and that anything negative she did was justified. Maybe it was the only way she could sleep at night. “I have to go and join the others. We’ll see you back at the base.” He concluded huskily.

“Han!” Leia cried as the impassive mask broke completely and she tried to draw him back to her. “Please, you have to for- “

Han paused in the doorway of the treadable, his stance rigid. “Don’t ask me to forgive you, sweetheart.” He interrupted before she could complete her sentence. He turned his head to look over his shoulder in her direction and their eyes met and held briefly. Han could the see the pain she was so desperate to hide. He saw how her every emotion was coming together to form a picture he could see in an instant comprehend with full depth. “Anyway, it’s not my forgiveness you should be seeking, is it?”

Leia’s lips trembled slightly as she worked up the courage to answer but Han was done with waiting. He said no more as he turned to leave. This time he didn’t look back.

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	59. A Drunken Confession

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Fifty-Nine-A Drunken Confession **

Han drank in silence, hoping that the answer lay at the bottom of the glass of Corellian whisky and then the bottom of the bottle and then the next bottle and the next. As the journey to Ajan Kloss dragged on, Chewie left him to wallow in his misery over his latest encounter with Leia, having lost patience with him when he continued to seek solace in drink again. After a while Lando took the Wookie’s place. He helped himself to a glass and sat down beside Han. Few words were exchanged between them. And the words that were spoken came out slurred and senseless. When Ben took a break from piloting the Falcon with Rey, he went to check on his father after Chewie expressed his impatience with the way that Han was handling things. When he found Han and Lando they were inebriated.

“Son, come and have a drink.” Han’s words ran together as he tried to stand. He had burnt through the bottles of Corellian whisky and could hardly focus as he staggered to his feet. His cheeks were rosy from the strong alcohol. He held out a glass to Ben, his actions slow and clumsy.

“No.” Ben said shortly as he reached out to steady Han when he began to sway on his feet. “I know you’re upset but drinking is not the answer, Dad.”

“I’m not upset.” Han protested as Ben helped him to sit back down. “Me and Lando were just remi…. reminshing….” He blinked as the drink robbed him of the ability to express himself properly. “Tell my boy, Lando. We were just remini…”

Lando nodded as he held up his half full glass of whisky as if in silent salute. “We were remembering the good old days.” He said as he tipped his head back and drained the glass. He seemed more coherent than Han, not by much though.

“The days when you drank and gambled your way around the galaxy. You mean those days?” Ben responded testily. He began to gather up the abandoned bottles.

“Those were good days.” Lando slurred as he and Han toasted each other.

“Simpler days.” Han agreed.

Ben hunkered down in front of his father and looked at him closely. Being drunk was Han’s coping mechanism. This was the second time he had gotten completely wasted after an emotional confrontation with his estranged wife. Ben pondered how similar their reactions were, he may not seek oblivion in drink, instead finding other ways equally as destructive. The end result was the same, the ones they ended up hurting the most were themselves. “Dad, I hate seeing you like this.” He said earnestly. “I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine.” Han answered testily. “I’ve been doing fin-fine by myself for years!”

“Don’t worry about your old man.” Lando put his hand on Han’s shoulder in a sign of solidarity. “I’ve got his back.”

Ben sighed as he focused his attention on Calrissian. The bald truth was his surrogate uncle was no better than Han. Lando had isolated himself on Pasaana because he couldn’t cope with the loss of his daughter. In doing so he had lost touch with his wife, the one person who should have able to help him through his trauma. No wonder the two men had gravitated toward each other in their youth, Ben decided, they were both the same.

“You’ve got to stop using drink as a way to cope when dealing with problems or emotional difficulties. All you end up with is a painful hangover and a whole lot of guilt. It doesn’t resolve anything.” Ben explained.

“Don’t lecture me, son.” Han said broodingly.

“I’m not lecturing you.” Ben took the empty glass out of his father’s hand and put it to one side. “I understand. I do.”

Han groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. The world was spinning faster than normal, his mind in a frenzy. Under the influence of alcohol, the festering pain in his heart was numbed. There was of course a small voice quietly nagging at the back of my mind, sounding too much like Leia for his comfort, reminding him that he wouldn’t feel this way tomorrow and that his actions would have repercussions, but right now he was drunk beyond the point of caring.

“You’re beginning to sound like Luke. He used to tell me he understood right before giving me one of his condescending lectures- ‘ _You can’t always live in the moment Han.’”_ Han said, mimicking Luke Skywalker’s voice badly. “ _You’re being selfish. Think of Leia. Every action has a reaction…”_

Ben flinched, the last thing he wanted was to be compared to Skywalker. He glared at his father resentfully but Han was too inebriated to realise the effect his words were having on his son. He had reached the stage where he was feeling immensely sorry for himself.

“Your uncle always was an overly eager, irritating, interfering ass…”

“Han.” Lando cautioned him. He was coherent enough to notice Ben’s reaction.

“What?” Han said defensively. “I’m only speaking the truth. Just because you became all buddy buddy with Skywalker later on…disappearing on those secret missions together.”

Lando frowned as his fingers clenched around his empty glass. “Han, enough.” He muttered.

“What secret missions?” Ben demanded.

Lando shrugged. “Your old man’s drunk. Ignore him.”

“I may be drunk but my memory’s not shot.” Through his alcoholic stupor Han felt his heart rate rise a little and his face flushed. “You two were gone for months searching for something…when I-I asked you wouldn’t say. But Leia knew, didn’t she? I know she did. None of you ever trusted me with the truth. Always kept in the dark.” He slurred; his tone filled with bitterness. “What were you and Luke looking for, old friend?”

Lando’s jaw tightened as he felt himself come under Han and Ben’s scrutiny. His clammy fingers slid on the condensation running down the side of the glass in his hand before he managed to regain his grip. He could feel the chill run down his oesophagus and his head made an involuntary shake. “We were just looking for some old artifacts. It was nothing important.”

Ben remembered his uncle’s penchant for searching for old Jedi artifacts. He had accompanied him on several expeditions himself in his youth. It was on one of those missions that he had first encountered the Knights of Ren. Ben tried to shrug off the dark memory as he concentrated all his attention on Lando. “If you were gone for months it must have been very important. What were you looking for?”

Calrissian reached for the bottle of Corellian whisky only to find it empty. Scowling, he filled his glass with water from his flask instead, adding some ice. He drained the ice between his molars and bit down hard, feeling it melt into cold pools on his tongue. His eyes turned bleak as he finally met Ben’s penetrating gaze. “Luke and I were tailing an old Jedi hunter. Ochi of Bestoon. Luke had sensed a sensed a great disturbance in the Force from the dark side and the familiar presence of Emperor Palpatine….”

“What?” Han exploded before Ben had a chance to. “And you said nothing?”

Even though Ben was as livid as Han he tried to keep a semblance of calm. He worried that Lando would clam up completely if they both kicked off. He managed to quieten Han down before returning his attention to Lando. “Keep talking.” He ordered.

Lando nodded, his shoulders sagging in defeat. “Luke began investigating this disturbance and recruited me to serve as his partner and guide. Using my underworld contacts, we investigated rumours of a Sith cultist assassin named Ochi of Bestoon who had become inebriated at a remote bar and bragged that he had found old Ben Kenobi’s lightsaber as well as a Sith wayfinder in one of the Emperor's vaults. We learned that he was also hunting down a young couple who were carrying with them something immensely valuable. We didn’t know who they were or what the thing of value was.”

Ben paled at the mention of Kenobi’s lightsaber. His eyes met Han’s, both feeling the significance of this new information. The young couple had to be Rey’s parents and the thing of value had to be Rey herself. Lando didn’t notice their look, his focus was inward. “With this information, we tracked Ochi to Pasaana where we found his ship but no Ochi and the trail went cold.”

“And?” Ben pressed. “What next?”

“Nothing.” Lando mumbled. “That was the last time I saw Luke. After spending time on Pasaana I decided I liked it enough to make my permanent home there.”

Words failed Ben. He stared at Lando in disbelief. Secrets. So many secrets. He was sick of it. He only had one more question. “Did my mother know about this?” He demanded.

Lando visibly startled. His eyes slid guiltily to Han’s before they found their way back to Ben. “Yes… Luke told Leia everything.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **


	60. Reflecting

** Halo  **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Sixty-Reflecting **

In Rey’s sadness there was no past or future, just living by the moment. Isn’t that what she had been doing all her life? Existing from day to day, from moment to moment until she had met Ben. It was only when he entered her life that it had taken on a whole meaning. Now, each fresh revelation about her past, and the Skywalkers part in it, just compounded her sorrow.

“So, they knew about me?” She asked Ben flatly.

“Only my mother can tell you that.” Ben brushed her hair back from her shoulder and moved in close so she could feel his lean body pressed up against her.

Rey gratefully sank into his warmth and rested her head against his broad chest. “I’m so tired of all the lies and secrets.” She confessed wearily. “I can’t even summon up the energy to be angry anymore.”

Ben admitted that he felt the same. Whether Rey’s emotions were impacting his, he couldn’t be sure. He knew in the past he knew his reaction would have been completely different-it didn’t take much to provoke his anger-but now this newfound knowledge felt like another brick in the wall. It was pointless getting irate.

Rey sighed as she pulled away from Ben slightly and looked up at his handsome face. “So, what Lando is basically saying is that Luke sensed a great disturbance in the Force coming from the dark side and also the familiar presence of Emperor Palpatine.” She mulled it over aloud to try to make sense of it.

“Lando was pretty drunk but that’s the gist of it.” Ben leaned in to caress her neck with his fingers, slow and gentle. “He began investigating this disturbance and recruited Lando to serve as partner and guide. Using Lando’s underworld contacts, they investigated rumours of a Sith cultist assassin named Ochi of Bestoon who had become inebriated at a remote bar and bragged that he had found Old Ben Kenobi’s lightsaber as well as a Sith wayfinder in one of the Emperor's vaults. They also learned that he was also hunting down a young couple who were carrying with them something immensely valuable. They didn’t know who they were or what the thing of value was. Acting on this information, Skywalker and Lando tracked Ochi to Pasaana where they found his ship but no Ochi and according to Lando the trail went cold.”

“And you’re convinced that the couple are my parents and the thing of value was me.” Rey finished for him.

“Its too coincidental to mean anything else. Plutt told us that your parents had been searching for Skywalker. The question is, did your father manage to keep that appointment with my uncle, or was he intercepted by this Ochi character.”

“And the Emperor?”

Ben’s eyes darkened. “I don’t know. Lando said that Skywalker sensed the familiar presence of Sidious but he didn’t say in what capacity. To my uncle’s knowledge, the Emperor was dead. He was there when it happened. Any possibility that he could have survived must have unnerved him greatly. Maybe he deduced that it wasn’t the emperor he was sensing but someone connected to him…I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I’m just surmising.”

“Someone connected to him? You mean like a descendent?” Rey said in alarm.

“Like I said. I’m guessing.” Ben stroked the side of her face lovingly as he spoke.

They gazed in each other’s eyes longingly; not a word spoken by either of them. Rey was soon lost within the breathless paradise of Ben’s dreamy eyes. His hands found their way to her hips, leaning her against his muscular body; as a result, she was weakened by his gentle seductive touch. Rey’s breathing quickened, the intense rhythm of her heartbeat undergoing an irregular count, hammering quicker than a lightning bolt. She wanted his lips now; she wanted his kisses. Then Ben was cupping her face in his hands and giving her what he knew she wanted. It was in intimate moments like this that Rey was thankful he could read her mind.

* * *

The Resistance had established a base on the jungle moon Ajan Kloss. It contained two parts: A small landing zone for the Resistance's starfighters; and a natural cave used as a hangar for the Tantive IV. Both these sections were located in the Klosslands. Chewbacca steered the Falcon toward the Starfighter landing zone. This section of the base was used as a landing zone for the Resistance's starfighters. The Resistance attached sensor scattering nets to the tops of trees. These nets prevented the starfighters from being detected if the First Order ever scanned Ajan Kloss. Under these protective nets, the Resistance could land and repair the nine A-wings, six B-Wing Fighters, seven X-wings, seven Y-wings, and the troop transport Fortitude onto the surface of Ajan Kloss. A natural limestone cave close to the starfighter landing zone was used as a hangar for the Tantive IV, and the command centre for the Resistance. Because the base was still in its early stages of construction, General Leia Organa's command ship, the Tantive IV, also served as a generator, barracks, and a primary meeting spot. The command centre was on the left side of the cave, with the Tantive IV in the middle. There was also a small room that served as Organa's bedroom, while everyone else who wasn't on duty slept in the Tantive IV. The Resistance had also constructed a laser-cut trail, which led from the cave to the starfighter landing zone.

They purposely flew in under cover of darkness, intent on arriving at the base when fewer people were around. There was no welcoming committee, only a solitary figure waiting to greet them. Rey and Ben spotted General Organa as soon as they began to walk down the Falcon’s ramp with BB-8 rolling behind them. Han and Lando were still sleeping off their drunken binge, while Chewbacca stayed behind to watch over them.

Ben and Rey tensed as soon as their eyes alighted on Organa, which she was very much aware. Leia approached them cautiously, her concerned gaze drinking in every aspect of the young couple-from their tightly entwined hands, to the way their eyes met, seeking reassurance from one another. It was obvious to Leia that their relationship had progressed even further since the last time they had spent any significant amount of time together.

“It’s good to see you both.” She said, giving them a welcoming smile. “I’ve had some refreshments laid out if you would care to join me for dinner? Where’s Han and the others?”

Ben hid behind his usual air of indifference when he was around his mother. “They’ll join us later.” He didn’t bother to elaborate. He didn’t owe General Organa an explanation.

“I see.” Leia’s smile faltered at the brusqueness of her son’s tone. She wasn’t surprised that Han didn’t want to be around her right now. Their last emotional encounter hadn’t exactly gone well. Her face paled slightly at the memory of Han’s last words to her- ““Anyway, it’s not my forgiveness you should be seeking, is it?”

“You can dispense with the pleasantries, General Organa.” Ben continued dryly, unaware of his mother’s hidden feelings of trepidation. “We’d like to get straight down to business. Rey and I have a few questions to ask you, if you could show us to somewhere private.”

Leia’s pride took a hit at the way he was addressing her. She was doing her best to be as welcoming as possible but it seemed he was in no mood to reciprocate. As for Rey, she was regarding her with the same impassivity that her son was showing. Leia felt a flash of defiance rush through her veins at the way her attempts to behave in a polite and friendly way were being rebuffed. “Come this way.” She said coolly as she took the lead and walked in the direction of her quarters on the Tantive IV.

* * *

As she always did when she was feeling overwhelmed, Leia reached for the pot of Caf’ and poured herself a cup, not realising the caffeine stimulant always had the opposite effect to what she desired. Instead of calming her it made her more confrontational. And that was how she was feeling now as she held the cup defensively in front of her face, taking a sip now and again, while she listened to Ben outline what Lando had revealed to them the day before.

“No more lies, General Organa.” Ben demanded. “What do you know? What did Skywalker tell you?”

Leia remembered the night in the rain on Anoat when she had experienced the gut-wrenching revelation about the way she had treated her son. She had given Ben only passive aggressive rage; she had withdrawn from him emotionally to punish him and in doing so became self-absorbed and cold. And despite what she had promised herself not to do, she was falling into the same trap again. The cup shook slightly in her grip as she tried to temper her feelings of regret and concentrate on what Ben was asking her, but the memory of her past anguish refused to leave and she stared up at him with haunted eyes.

Ben’s own eyes flickered with confusion for a minute as he glanced to the side at Rey. She shrugged in response, clearly as bewildered as he was by the lack of response from the Resistance General. She decided to take over the conversation, softening her tone, hoping that might push Leia into revealing what they wanted to know. “Lando said that Luke confided in you. Please, its important you tell us what you know.”

Waves of helplessness and anxiety caught Leia unaware. They must have been silently building up and gaining momentum while she was recalling the past. She felt the tears building in her eyes at Rey’s mention of her brother. The grief at his passing was always just a heartbeat away. She remembered the last night of her Jedi training with Luke when she had experienced the dark Force vision that her Jedi path would lead to the death of her unborn son. This young woman’s fate was entwined with Ben’s, she was certain now that whatever peril awaited him, Rey was involved somehow. She took a deep breath, the tears threatening to spill. No, she couldn’t, wouldn’t cry. She couldn’t show weakness. She had to hold them in. She must maintain the brave facade that she had been hiding behind her whole life.

Leia looked directly at Rey as she spoke, completely bypassing Ben. “I’ll speak with you. Just you.” She said.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	61. New Revelations

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who has kindly read and reviewed this story!_ **

** Chapter Sixty-One-New Revelations **

Leia was surprised that Ben capitulated so easily to her request to Rey. He showed no emotion, just bent down briefly to whisper in Rey’s ear, before abruptly leaving. Time slowed down for Leia, as if her brain needed to absorb the image of her adult son walking away from her. Just for a minute she was back in the past, watching her ten-year-old boy walking away with resentful tears in his eyes, the day she had sent him away to train with Luke. Then, after an immeasurable period, time sped up again. Leia quickly clasped her hands together to stop them shaking and hoping that Rey hadn’t noticed her lapse in control.

“Can I offer you something to eat or drink?” She offered automatically.

In fact, Rey had noticed Leia’s strange reaction to Ben leaving. She observed the older woman thoughtfully as she declined Organa’s offer of refreshment. “I would rather get straight down to business.” She said, taking a seat.

“Of course.” Leia settled down in the seat opposite the young scavenger and folded her hands in her lap. “Where to begin?” The question was merely rhetorical. “During my tenure as a senator serving in the reconstituted Galactic Senate in Chandrila's Hanna City, I heard many unsubstantiated rumours that Old Ben Kenobi had fathered a child. I dismissed them at first-Kenobi was a legendary Jedi master who served on the Jedi High Council during the last years of the Republic Era. During the Imperial Era, he adopted the alias Ben Kenobi in order to hide from the regime that drove the Jedi to near extinction. He was a noble man, known for his skills with the Force. He became a mentor to my brother prior to his death. He never once mentioned to Luke that he had sired any offspring…but….” She stopped and reached for the pot of Caf’ to pour herself a fortifying drink.

“He was alone on Tatooine for many years watching over my brother. Loneliness can drive a man to many things. He might have sought companionship on occasion during his lonely exile. Over the years, the rumours became more persistent, more embellished. Luke and I began to discuss the possibility that there might be some truth in them. So, Luke decided to investigate to prove once and for all if such a child possibly existed.”

When the guilt came it took Leia down the old familiar path of regret. She wanted to refuse to walk it, pretend that she was the person she demanded that she be. She sipped at the hot Caf’ to ease the dryness in her throat, but instead the hot caffeine made her throat constrict to the point where she felt she could hardly breathe. Rey noticed her struggle and calmly poured the older woman some fresh water from the pitcher standing at the centre of the table. She handed the water to Leia wordlessly, not remarking on what had caused Organa’s strange reaction.

Drinking the cool water gave Leia time to regain her composure. She had to admit she was impressed with Rey’s patience and the way she calmly reacted to the break in the story. She was so different to Ben. Pushing thoughts of her son aside so as not to become distracted, Leia cleared her throat and resumed talking. “After many months and many false leads, Luke was finally able to substantiate the rumours that had been floating around the senate for years, and it sent him right back to where his life began-Tatooine.”

“So, it was true?” Rey breathed. “Ben Kenobi fathered a child?”

“Yes, and she was hiding in plain sight with her mother and stepfather on Tatooine.” Leia revealed.

“The child was a girl.” Rey mused quietly. It was like all the pieces of the jigsaw were finally coming together. “What happened then? Did Luke confront the woman directly? How did he know for sure that the girl was Ben Kenobi’s daughter? Did….?”

Leia held up her hand to stop the barrage of Rey’s questions. She waited for Rey to quieten down before continuing. “There was no doubt in Luke’s mind that the girl was Kenobi’s daughter. She looked just like him. He didn’t approach them straight away, he needed a while to gather his thoughts, and consider his next course of action. He contacted me at the Senate and revealed his dilemma. I urged him to make contact straight away, but he was more cautious. In the end, events preceded him, and he was forced to intervene with the family. They were working as innocuous junk traders. It was like they were deliberately trying to keep under the radar. When Luke finally made the decision to talk with them, the family were attacked by a bounty hunter. It seemed that we weren’t the only ones investigating the rumours. The stepfather was killed defending his family, it was only with Luke’s assistance that the woman and child survived. He took them away and placed them in the care of some of his most trusted acquaintances on Naboo, hoping to keep them hidden while he made sure that there were no further attacks from interested bounty hunters. But the woman fled the safe house and took her daughter with her.”

Leia felt the same old memories haunting her. She had seen and done things that made her sick to think of, they would follow her for the rest of her life and would only bring her pain. “Their loss deeply affected Luke. He revered Ben Kenobi and the child’s loss was like losing his last connection with his trusted mentor. He spent a long time trying to find them again, but the woman had gone to ground. Despite his best efforts he was unsuccessful. I did my own investigations, but mine proved just as fruitless.”

“Do you believe that the girl was my mother and the woman my grandmother?” Rey demanded as she pulled Kenobi’s old lightsaber off her belt and placed it on the table for Leia to see. She saw Organa’s eyes widen slightly in recognition, which proved all the confirmation she needed that Han had been right and the lightsaber did indeed belong to Old Ben Kenobi. “This was found in a box that my parents left behind on Jakku, along with a datapd with an image of my mother on it. The first time I held it in my hand it felt familiar, like it belonged to me.”

Leia knew there would be no escape from these memories, it wasn't an illness that could be seen or fixed, the pain was to be her punishment. “When I first saw you, I sensed a familiarity about you and I couldn’t explain why. It’s not your looks, you must take after your mother’s side of the family in that regard, but it was the way you carried yourself, the feeling I got from the Force when I was around you…”

Rey kept quiet as she listened to Leia ramble on and on about Old Ben Kenobi and how some aspects of her personality reminded Organa of the legendary Jedi master. “It was these feelings that made me so eager to train you myself. I treasured each moment I spent with my brother,” Leia added. “The things he taught me . . . I use them every day. Once you touch the Force, it’s part of you always. Over the years, I continued to learn, to grow. There were times on the Senate floor when the meditations I’d practiced with Luke were the only thing that kept me from causing a galactic incident. I failed with Ben. I was determined not to with you. My biggest regret is sending him away. That’s when I lost him, when I lost the better part of myself.”

The cracks in the Resistance General’s façade were beginning to show. Leia reached for the pot of Caf’ and poured herself another drink. “I’m digressing.” She murmured as she took a tentative sip. Like before, her favourite drink only served to set her throat on fire. She began to cough as she struggled to breathe as the heavy weight of her past failures began to gain a chokehold on her iron hard control. Rey quickly poured some more water into a glass and held it to Organa’s lips so she could drink it.

“I’m being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain. I failed Ben. I failed myself. I failed everyone. You were right to refuse me. You were right.” Leia’s composure continued to crumble as she collapsed against Rey, who was forced to put an arm around the older woman to stop her from falling. She was both shocked and stunned at the words coming out of Leia’s mouth. They were the same words that Ben had said to Han on several occasions. Like mother. Like son it seemed.

Leia’s eyes were glassy with tears as she carried on talking. “It was years later when Luke sensed a disturbance in the Force from the darkside and the familiar presence of Emperor Palpatine. It shook him to the very core as it did me when he confided in me. We both agreed to keep it a secret and not tell Han. We didn’t think he would be able to handle the situation very well. We didn’t tell Ben either. Luke and I had spent a lifetime shielding Ben from the horrors of our past. He was already struggling enough and we wanted to keep him well away from any source of trouble. Luke went off by himself to investigate and as you already know recruited Lando to help him instead. You know the rest.”

“Lando said they tracked the Sith assassin to Pasaana and found his ship but no Ochi and the trail went cold. But that’s not the end of it, is it?” Rey questioned as she helped Leia settle back into her chair.

“Luke had already made the connection that the young couple that Ochi was pursuing was Ben Kenobi’s daughter and that she was married and now had a child of her own. You.” Leia revealed. “He didn’t find them himself-they reached out to him. They had been looking for him for a long time after the young woman learned of her true identity. He arrived at the meeting place but the young couple never arrived…”

“Did he not look for them?” Rey asked tremulously.

Leia sucked in a sharp breath and was suddenly unable to meet her eyes. “I counselled Luke not to. He had other priorities by then-his students, the Jedi temple…Ben. I know it was selfish but I needed him to focus his attention on my son, not to go chasing after ghosts. Ben was struggling, he wasn’t sleeping well, he was acting strange, talking about seeing a young girl in his dreams and interacting with her as if she was real…” She rambled.

“What girl?” Rey had kept the bond open deliberately just like Ben had asked her to. It was why he had acquiesced to readily to his mother’s condition that she speak to Rey alone. She was so connected to him she could feel his emotional pain bleeding into hers. His pain was her pain. And the woman sitting opposite was the cause of so much of it. Rey tried to stop her head spinning from all the fresh revelations as she felt Ben coming back to her. He was no longer willing to stay away. Whether Leia liked it or not, she was going to have to face her son.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	62. Too Little, Too Late

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly left reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Sixty-Two-Too Little, Too Late **

Ben had never felt such rage in a long time. Over the intervening months since Rey had come into his life, he had learned to harness it in a better way, but right now he had no control over it at all. He felt utterly betrayed by his mother and his uncle. Leia and Luke’s machinations had created nothing but misery for those forced to endure the fallout from their selfish decisions. The rage coursing through him wasn’t hot, it was cold-a frozen fury that burned with an icy intensity. For he could only be that way with those who no longer held a place in his heart. His mother’s betrayal had killed the last vestiges of his attachment to her.

Rey, quietly battling her own internal anger toward Leia, gave the Resistance General no warning when Ben burst into the room to confront his mother. Leia’s hand flew to her throat in astonishment at her son’s dramatic entrance. He was visibly fuming, his eyes dark, tormented, and shining with a bitter edge that took her breath away. Leia rarely ever cried, but that was because she cried in a different way. Her tears became her actions, her problem solving. All her life she had hidden behind the mask of self-deception, but her real self was showing. Like Rey was battling to contain her anger, she was battling to maintain her composure. Her face was suddenly wiped clean, she looked utterly emotionless as she stared at her son, when in reality she was at her most emotional. It was a sort of overload reaction-there was too much emotion to process and so her brain chose to edit it out, the same way her brain edited out fear when it had no purpose.

“Ben, what are you doing here? Rey and I still have a lot to discuss- “

“What more is there to discuss, General Organa?” Ben cut in icily. “I know everything.”

Confusion clouded Leia’s vision as she drew in a sharp breath. Her mind was a surging perplexity as she tried to work out how he could possibly know what she had confessed to Rey, unless he had been listening in at the door. But that couldn’t be true, she would have sensed him. So, what could he mean by that statement? Was he lying in order to drag more of the truth from her, or had he planted a listening device in the room without her knowledge? Or maybe it was Rey who had done so while she was unravelling in front of her. Anger bolstered Leia’s emotions, turning them to ones of resentment as she tore her eyes away from her furious son and stared imperiously at the young scavenger girl. “You deceived me!” She accused. “This was supposed to be a private conversation.”

Rey met Leia’s severe gaze with her own. “We never agreed to that. You just assumed it was.”

Leia was livid. “Where did you plant the listening device?” She demanded. “I thought you would be above such deceit. It appears I was wrong. Ben Kenobi would be ashamed of you.”

Little BB-8, who had faithfully followed Ben Solo into the room, began to get distressed as he saw the smouldering anger overtake him. Rey seemed just as infuriated. The young couple wore matching angry expressions as they glared confrontationally at Leia. The clever little astromech worried that Ben Solo would lose control of himself and would deeply regret it later. He included Rey in that, too. She rarely showed her anger, but Organa’s insult had set off the tinder box of Rey’s fury as she flung a retaliatory comment back at the older woman. BB-8’s dome head swung back and forth between them all as he tried to work out what to do for the best before things spiralled even further.

“Don’t you dare address me in such a manner again, young lady.” Leia countered brusquely.

“You deserved it after insulting Rey like that.” Ben retorted before Rey had a chance to herself. He was seething at his mother’s audacity. He was furious that she had reverted to her default settings in order to protect herself.

“Ben…”

“No, General Organa, you listen to me for once in your life!” Ben demanded. “You know, without my rage, you always treated me like something you could walk over. Like I was trouble best ignored, left alone until I showed signs of submissiveness. Whenever I demanded acknowledgement of my pain all I got in return was your counter-rage-the scorn of last resort to put me back into my box. Whenever I failed in your eyes, all I got was the long drawn out ‘big freeze’ in which you demonstrated just how little you cared about me, that I was nothing but an irritant in your life. All I ever wanted was for you to give a damn about how I feel, to kriffing demonstrate that you actually care. But now I see that’s its beyond you. You are incapable of love. You are cold, ruthless and calculating. You hide behind this moralistic façade in order to judge others, without having the responsibility of judging yourself.”

Leia quailed under the ferocity of his rant as Ben unleashed years of pent up fury on her all at once. She was breathing but the air just wouldn’t go in, like her lungs were surrounded by metal bands. Next came the rising panic, the dizzy feeling. She reached out to the counter to steady herself. Rey put aside her own anger when she noticed Leia was struggling. She intervened, doing her best to talk him down. BB-8 knocked against his leg, desperate to take his attention off the wilting Resistance General. He chirped Ben Solo over and over again in his binary language, but Ben seemed incapable of hearing. The desperate little droid decided that Rey needed help in order to pull the warring mother and son apart. He quickly rolled out of the room and fled the base in order to fetch Han Solo.

* * *

Rey reached for Ben’s face and pulled his head around so they made eye-contact. His were still smouldering with the anger that was directed at his mother. She stared at him, seeing in his eyes his humanity, the person he was really was. The hurt and bitterness was peeled away as she made him concentrate his gaze solely on her. Rey opened up their telepathic link and projected messages of love and hope at him. And soon she saw the love he had for her burning bright in the precious orbs of his eyes, the sort that goes on for an eternity. She saw his spirit, like a fire giving just the right amount of warmth. In the past she had seen it die, the flames almost extinguished, when he was under the gun of guilt, shame and fear. Rey knew that wasn’t him, not the real version, the person she loved with every fibre of her being. She wouldn’t let Organa crush that spirit by making him do something he was surely going to regret. Ben carried enough residual guilt on his shoulders without being forced to carry more.

“ _You’re okay_.” Rey said, breathing life into him. “ _We’re okay_.”

Ben moved closer to her with those eyes that looked so deeply into her own. His breathing slowed down, the tension on his face moulding into something much softer. The muscles in his body relaxed as he felt the heat of their Force bond wrap around him like a comforting blanket. They were so wrapped up, consumed with each other, that it wasn’t until they heard the soft thud of Leia’s body hitting the floor, that they realised she had collapsed behind them. As they turned toward her, Han chose that precise moment to appear, summoned by BB-8 to break up the argument that was tearing his son apart.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	63. Reaching Out

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for the awesome reviews on the last chapter._ **

** Chapter Sixty-Three-Reaching Out **

Major Harter Kalonia looked at an ashen-faced Han in sympathy. “It’s called Pulmonary Congestion.” She informed him gently. “Its something Leia has been suffering with for a long time.”

“I don’t know what that is.” Han floundered. Dread owned him, pushing against him like an invisible gale, attempting to reverse his steps back to the Falcon, his safe space.

Harter sighed softly. She was breaking Leia’s confidence by even sharing this with Han. She had spent many nights arguing with the stubborn Resistance General, pleading with her to rest and to hand the burden of leadership onto the much younger shoulders that made up most of the Resistance. As far as Harter was concerned, Poe Dameron was more than ready now to take on the extra responsibility. Leia had practically been moulding him in her image. He was more than capable of continuing the fight in her name. But despite Harter’s advice, Leia continued to resist her pleas.

“Pulmonary edema is often caused by congestive heart failure. When the heart is not able to pump efficiently, blood can back up into the veins that take blood through the lungs. As the pressure in these blood vessels increases, fluid is pushed into the air spaces-alveoli-in the lungs.” Harter explained carefully.

“But its treatable, right?” Han questioned gruffly. An icy chill rippled down his spine, numbing his brain.

Harter Kalonia was a competent physician and she was a genius at adapting whatever medical supplies she had in her disposal to most situations. But in more complex cases like Leia’s, they were just not sufficient. She didn’t have the right equipment to treat her adequately and limited medication that could help manage the symptoms. “At first the odds were good…” She began, then fell silent as she was overcome with her own grief. She revered Organa just like everyone else did on the base. And more than that, they were close friends.

Han saw Harter’s eyes turn to liquid gold as she dropped her professional mask for a minute and tried to compose herself. Just her reaction alone confirmed to him that his wife’s condition was more serious than he wanted to believe. “What do you need? Just tell me. Whatever medication she needs, whatever medical equipment you can utilise to treat this pulmonary thing, I swear I’ll get hold of it somehow.” He promised fervently.

“Han.” Harter reached out and laid a steady hand on his shoulder when she realised, he didn’t understand the full import of what she was trying to tell him. “There’s nothing that can be done. It’s a case of managing the worst of Leia’s symptoms and making her as comfortable as possible.”

“Are you telling me that my wife is dying? That there is no hope at all.” Han clarified in despair.

Harter nodded as she strengthened her grip on his shoulder. He lowered his head to hide his devastation, he had never experienced grief this bad before. It sneaked up on him quietly and took him under its arms in an instant. Every memory of Leia played like a song in his head, repeating itself for what seemed like forever. He felt lost. Alone. She was such a huge part of him. No matter how many times he had vowed to walk away from her for the last time, no matter how many times he had told her goodbye, deep down inside he knew that he could never abandon her completely if ever she needed him. He loved her. She was the great love of his life. Time and distance would never change that.

“What can I do?” Han begged Harter.

“You need to prepare your son. There is a reason Leia reached out to him now. Time is running out. I know she hasn’t gone about it in the best way.” Harter sighed again as she met Han’s stricken gaze. “You’ve not been around these last few years; you haven’t seen her in her lowest moments. She is full of regret, though she refuses to show it. She’s stubborn like that. It’s like she’s afraid to show weakness. Even now.” She squeezed his shoulder gently before letting go. “I’m sorry, Han. I really am.”

* * *

Leia shivered in the humid room as she slowly opened her sluggish eyelids. Waves of heat coursed through her blood, a cold sweat glistened on her gaunt features. Her eyes were sunken and skin sallow, everything ached, everything hurt. A glass of water appeared in her line of sight and she stared at the shining liquid in confusion before her bewildered gaze met those of the man who wielded it. “Ben?” She murmured in astonishment.

“You should try and drink some.” Ben answered huskily as he held the cool glass to her lips so she could take a sip. “Harter will be in soon to check up on you.” He continued when she indicated she’d had enough to drink.

“Harter told you.” Leia said flatly. “She always threatened she would.”

“You didn’t give her any choice.” Ben put the half full glass of water down on the small cabinet by the hospital bed. “Like you didn’t give me any choice.”

“Are you only here to rehash old hurts again?” Leia tried to sit up but every breath was a struggle, her phlegm filled lungs were desperate for oxygen, but her body would not cooperate. A string of harsh coughs shook her pale and fragile form, leaving her feeling weaker than she had thought possible. The breaths she took were entirely too fast and shallow to be normal. Leia gripped a handful of the white bed sheets and pleaded for the agonizing pain in her chest to stop.

“Will you stop living in denial!” Ben demanded, his gentle movements in assisting his mother to rise contrasting oddly with the harshness in his tone.

“I am not living in denial. I am well aware of my prognosis, Ben. I never asked for your pity!” Leia retorted bitterly.

“I don’t pity you.” Ben was already tiring of the back and forth. Even severely weakened his mother was refusing to drop her guard. “At this point I just feel sorry for you. Or do you still think I’m a monster and incapable of feeling anything at all.”

“Isn’t that how you see me? I remember you saying something along those lines before I collapsed.” Leia sucked in a pained breath as her chest tightened.

Anger, pain, sadness – his emotions were so intertwined that he was incapable of unravelling them. Ben was tired of fighting with his mother. The undeniable fear he’d felt course through him when he saw Leia fall after his verbal attack had panicked him more than he cared to admit. Despite his best efforts to deny his familial attachment to the frail woman lying in the hospital bed, the residual feelings of love he held for her were still there. “I don’t want to fight with you anymore, mother. It’s exhausting.”

_Mother!_

_He had called her mother!_

Leia looked up at him, the shock on her pale face visible. “I don’t want to fight anymore, either.” She admitted haltingly. Her eyes glimmered with watery tears and she felt as if her whole world was about to crumble.

“Then can we please make a pact with each other to stop.” Ben suggested-a tired smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he attempted to reach out to her.

Leia felt the sadness drain through her rather than skating over her skin. It travelled through every cell to reach the ground. She filtered it yet strangely enough, what was left behind were feelings of remorse and deep regret. “I like that idea.” She agreed as she tried to muster a smile of her own in response to his.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Harter. She greeted Ben with a warm smile before she began to check on her patient. Leia was forced to deal with her friend’s tender ministrations as Harter moved her stethoscope over her back. There were pronounced crackles in the right and left lower lungs, Leia’s oxygen sats were barely keeping above ninety percent and this made Harter’s brow furrow. “Your lung function is deteriorating more than I expected. I’m worried you’re developing pneumonia. I need to run more tests. I warned you that you were pushing yourself too hard.”

“We’re fighting a war, Harter.” Leia remarked sharply. “This was just an episode. I’ll get over it just like I have all the others.”

“And I’m fighting a war to keep you alive.” Harter countered just as harshly. The two women locked eyes for a minute, Harter was the first to break contact as she looped her stethoscope around her neck. “You’ve been drinking too much Caf’ again.” She guessed, the irritation in her tone clear. “With your condition anything high in caffeine is not good for you. Stop being stubborn and actually take my advice for once, woman.”

A small smile warmed Leia’s brown eyes as she regarded Harter with dark amusement. “I’ve already made steps in that direction. Ben and I have made a pact to stop fighting each other. We’re going to work with each other instead of against each other.”

“I don’t remember agreeing to the last part.” Ben cut in irritably.

“Ah, but its what you meant.” Leia replied with certainty.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	64. Love and Attraction

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much for kindly reviewing the last chapter. I know this story has dragged on a bit. I never intended for it to have so many chapters, Lol. It has taken on a life of its own. Thanks for sticking with it._ **

** Chapter Sixty-Four-Love and Attraction **

**_Two months later;_ **

Rey had been working out and sparring with Ben until her skin took on a glossy sheen and the salty drops of perspiration invaded her eyes. As she kept moving the sweat was a welcome addition, cooling and helping her to feel like she'd worked hard; it's only when her feet came to a stop that the gentle breeze showed her just how wet her clothing had become. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Ben strip off his tunic. His skin was glowing as much as hers, highlighting every quivering muscle on his torso. He was like a living work of art, his pale skin so tempting to touch, every move giving away his strength. Rey couldn’t believe it was only a few hours ago she had been running her hands all over his upper body. The memory made her blush and she was forced to look away to cover how flustered she was feeling.

Alerted by her thoughts, Ben shot an amused glance in her direction before she had a chance to shut them down. When he turned around completely to face her, she sucked in a sharp breath as his shirtless torso was exposed to her hungry eyes again and she felt the iron clad control she had on her lustful thoughts beginning to unravel. She noticed the beginnings of a smirk pulling at Ben’s lips as she accidentally projected her thoughts at him again. Gawking wouldn’t even describe her mental state.

Why, oh, why did they have to share one braincell?

Ben was swaggering as he approached, Rey shot him an annoyed glare, causing his smug smile to widen. She wiped her brow with the back of her hand as her line of sight was completely consumed by his mesmerising physique. Why did he have to be so freakishly tall as well as gorgeous? His chiselled chest was directly within her eyeline, to avoid it she had to tip her head slightly so she could concentrate on his face instead. His body was so droolworthy, his skin glowing to perfection after their bout of rigorous exercise.

_“Stop gloating, Ben Solo_!” She derided him mentally.

_“You’re so beautiful when you’re mad_.” Ben leaned in and nuzzled the side of her neck, pressing his soft lips on the sweet spot that always drove her crazy. _“And just for the record I find you equally as mesmerising. And I’m so turned on by you right now I think I might just explode.”_

_“Ben!”_ Rey burst out into a stream of nervous laughter at his lame attempt to distract her from her shyness. He knew how anxious she was about the whole ‘sex and attraction’ thing. He had been so patient and understanding with her, never complaining when she put the brakes on during their intimate moments when she became overwhelmed. She didn’t know why she felt so ashamed of her lustful thoughts. He’d let enough of his slip. First time nerves she guessed. She was a virgin, scared to cross the final barrier, she felt so utterly naïve and gauche. She felt his lips softly graze her slender neck and her face heated up again as she realised, she was projecting her thoughts at him again. She summoned enough courage to meet his gaze only to find his warm brown eyes regarding her with love and understanding. “I’m sorry.” She apologised, biting her lower lip in her agitation.

“You have nothing to apologise for, sweetheart.” Ben said with absolute sincerity. “Its okay to feel nervous. I’m perfectly happy to wait and go at your pace. I’m actually enjoying the journey.” He gave her one of his most adoring smiles, the kind that just made her melt.

“But I don’t understand why I feel nervous.” She answered in frustration. “I want to, I really do.”

Ben tucked a lock of shiny brunette hair that had escaped her loose braid behind her ear. “I know you do, but I also know how tough it can be, accidentally sharing your most secret thoughts with someone you’re being intimate with. I get just as embarrassed when I can’t control my thoughts around you.” His eyes twinkled as he brushed his fingers over her hot cheek.

“You do?” Rey was surprised at his admission. He was certainly good at covering his embarrassment. She hadn’t sensed any mortification on his part, but then again maybe she was so focused on her own she had totally missed his.

“Of course, I do. Its not easy being in each other’s heads all the time. Maybe you should go and speak to someone you trust about how you’re feeling. You know, just to get some proper perspective.”

“Is that what you’re going to do?” Rey asked curiously.

“Yeah, I thought I might ask Uncle Chewie for advice. Remember Wookie’s are the most romantic species in the galaxy.” Ben quipped. “I’m sure he’ll be great at the sex talk too.”

“Ben!” Rey smacked him lightly on the chest as she began to laugh. He was so cute, using humour to diffuse the tension. She curled her hand around the back of his neck and drew his head toward hers until their foreheads were touching. “Thank you.” She whispered gratefully.

* * *

Rose Tico bounced into the quarters she now shared with Rey. Her smile and face were glowing with happiness. Finn had just declared his love for her as they took a midnight stroll under the stars. She was still on a romantic high and was dying to share the news with somebody. When she saw Rey sitting on her bed, one of the ancient Jedi texts balanced on her knees as she read, Rose ran over to her and embraced her enthusiastically. “He loves me. He loves me. He loves me!” She sang.

Happiness flowed through Rey as she watched her friend dance around the room in delight. Her customary cautious grin exploded into a radiant smile. “Finn?” She asked.

“Yes.” Rose clasped her hand together as her eyes turned dreamy. “He’s perfect, Rey. He’s so handsome. And when he smiles….” She let out a happy sigh. “I’ve never felt this way before. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world, Rey. Do you know that feeling?”

Rey’s mind immediately drifted to Ben. “I do.” She agreed.

Rose floated over to Rey and sat down beside her. “Of course, you do.” She said softly. “I know I haven’t been his biggest supporter, but over the past couple of months, I’ve gotten to know him better and I can see he clearly adores you.”

It had been Finn, surprisingly, who had encouraged Rose to look past her prejudice against the former Kylo Ren and accept him as the man he was now, “We all deserve a second chance, Rose.” He had said.

“He does. Thanks, Rose.” Rey curled her fingers around her friend’s hand gratefully.

“Why aren’t you with him tonight?” Rose asked curiously. It was rare occurrence to see Rey and Ben apart from one another.

“Ben’s spending some quality time with his father. I thought I could use the time to catch up on my reading.” Rey motioned toward the book she had been reading.

Rose looked at Rey critically. She had come to know the other girl well enough to know when something was bothering her. “What’s on your mind, girlfriend?” She asked. “You can talk to me. I won’t judge. I promise.”

Rey felt the familiar blush coat her cheeks. She wanted to confide in her friend and Ben had essentially given her permission to do just that, but still she was embarrassed. After spending a lifetime alone, she found it hard to open up to others. “Ben and I…” She started to say, but then immediately clammed up again.

Rose noticed Rey’s glowing cheeks and guessed the root cause of her friend’s embarrassment. “This is about sex.” She said bluntly.

Rey’s cheeks burned brighter as she averted her gaze. “No.” She denied at first, then sighing, admitted it was true. “Yes.”

“You’re a virgin.”

Rey rolled her eyes and huffed out an irritated sigh. “Maybe.”

“You don’t need to be embarrassed, Rey.” Rose said gently.

“I’m not embarrassed. Well I am…I’m more nervous. I mean I love Ben. So much. He has been so amazing. So gentle and kind. I just….”

“Don’t know what to do.” Rose finished for her when Rey’s voice died.

Rey glanced up at Rose through her thick lashes. “I know the basics.” She mumbled. “I’m not totally ignorant. I just need…I don’t know.” She looked at Rose helplessly. “Its usually a conversation a girl has with her mother, right? I never knew mine.”

“Rey.” Rose murmured as she reached out and hugged her. Her thoughts drifted to her parents and her beloved sister Paige. They may have all gone now, but at least she had been surrounded by love in her formative years. Rey had never had that. “I’m not claiming to be an expert but I can tell you what I know and maybe we can bring Harter into the conversation, too. She’s good at giving practical advice.”

Relieved tears fell from Rey’s eyes as she clung to her friend. Ben had been right to tell her to seek perspective from another person. It made her love him all the more. He understood her so well. She opened up their bond so he could hear her. _“I love you, Ben_.” She declared.

_“I love you, too_.” Came his prompt reply.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


	65. Drunk on Love

** Halo **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**_A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter. There is some ‘smut’ in this chapter. If you don’t like reading that sort of thing, scroll down to the end. You don’t want to miss the cliff-hanger…_ **

** Chapter Sixty-Five-Drunk on Love **

Han regarded Ben with amusement as he listened to his son come up with a string of excuses as to why he and Chewie needed to avoid the Falcon for the night. He knew exactly what Ben was planning, the tell-tale red face gave it away. Han did his best to keep his expression as bland as possible. Even though he was itching to tease his son about the big romantic night he had planned with Rey, Han knew Ben wouldn’t appreciate it right now. The poor boy was nervous enough as it was.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep Chewie occupied. You won’t be disturbed, so you and Rey can crack on with those necessary _repairs_ you think the Falcon needs.” Han tried to suppress his smile when Ben gave him an annoyed look. “What?” He laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

“Very funny, Dad.” Ben growled.

“I try.” Han’s brown eyes twinkled with mirth, causing Ben’s face to break out into a rare smile. Han put his hand on Ben’s shoulder for a moment, giving him his customary lop-sided grin. “Have a good night, son. Don’t wear yourself out too much.”

“Get out of here.” Ben smirked as he pushed his father’s hand off his shoulder and directed him toward the ramp. In the distance the two men could see Rey walking toward them and both their eyes widened in admiration. “Wow.” Ben murmured appreciatively.

Prompted by Rose she had ditched her usual attire and was dressed in a greenish-blue gown made of soft, satiny fabric, long and loose-borrowed from Kaydel. She walked as lightly as an acrobat. A puff of wind swept through her brunette hair, which had been styled in soft waves to frame her face. She smiled shyly when she reached the two men, her eyes dipping down slightly as a rosy blush coated her cheeks when she caught Ben staring at her in wonder.

“You look nice, Rey.” Han complimented her as he prodded his son to step forward. Ben was totally speechless. He had lost control of his vocal cords and couldn’t stop gaping at Rey like he had never seen her before. Han rolled his eyes. “Tell the girl she looks beautiful then.” He whispered in an aside to Ben.

“Huh?” Han’s prompting finally pulled Ben out of his stupor. “You do. Definitely.” He said to Rey in a rush.

“Clueless. Completely and utterly clueless.” Han muttered under his breath when he saw Rey look at his son in confusion. “What Ben really means is you look stu… “

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, old man.” Ben cut in swiftly, eyeing his father irritably.

“It seems like I do.” Han agreed as he tried to stifle his laughter. He gave Rey a quick smile as he passed by her on the ramp. “Be careful you don’t get any oil stains on that pretty dress while you’re helping Ben with the repairs, kid.” He couldn’t help but tease her.

Rey’s cheeks were suddenly kissed pink like a spring rose, the blooming colour looking cute against her slightly freckled skin. “ _Please don’t tell me that’s the excuse you gave him for why we wanted the ship to ourselves tonight_?” She asked Ben telepathically.

_“Kinda_.” Ben gave her an apologetic smile while simultaneously shooting daggers in his father’s back with his eyes as Han descended the ramp, chuckling to himself.

* * *

“That meal was lovely, Ben.” Rey said as she delicately dabbed at the corners of her mouth with the napkin to remove the last of the sauce. He had excelled himself. She couldn’t believe he had managed to cobble together such a delicious spread in such a short amount of time. “I can’t believe you did this all by yourself.”

“I had help.” Ben responded distractedly. He couldn’t keep his eyes away from Rey’s delectable lips. He was dying to kiss them. His focus was so scattered, so filled with nervous anticipation was he, so excited, so giddy, that he could hardly sit still.

“Who helped you?” Rey asked with interest.

“BB-8.” Ben revealed with a teasing smile.

“You’re kidding me.” Rey couldn’t tell whether he was joking or not.

“I’m not. You wouldn’t believe what’s stored in that little droid’s databanks.”

“You are kidding.” Rey threw her napkin at him and laughed.

Ben grinned. “Actually, he was eager to help, but he kind of got under my feet in the canteen. So, I had to ban him from the kitchen. If you want to know the truth, Rose helped me prepare most of this.” He admitted.

_Of course, it had to be Rose!_

Rey didn’t think she could love her friend more than she did already. Not only had Rose helped by giving her some much-needed perspective and good advice, she had even held her hand when they had gone to Harter for the obligatory birth control shot.

A charged silence fell between them as the easy banter faded to be replaced with longing looks. Rey fidgeted, adjusting the straps of her borrowed dress. Ben took the opportunity to move from his seat and place his arm around her. Rey leaned into him. The softness and gentle touch of his arm against her neck making her back tingle. Rey felt her breath catch in her throat as she felt their Force energy vibrate around them in such a unique way, each the perfect complement of the other. Rey knew she wasn’t simply "in love," she was well and truly smitten. Ben was what made her heart strong. His smile alone burnished her soul into a beauty it could never have achieved on its own. Before they met, she was one, now she was a half, yet somehow so much more than she ever was before.

“Ben.” She whispered. “I’m ready.”

Ben didn’t need to double-check that she meant what she said. He could feel she was ready in her every thought and action. Rey looked so heavenly. Ben was drunk on much more than the wine they had consumed. He was drunk on love. He knew his whole life had been leading up to this precious moment. Their connection showed the strength of their feeling, the mutual need. “You are so beautiful.” He said honestly. “And I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” Rey’s hazel eyes were brimming with adoration as she reached up and ran her fingers over the bone structure that drove her so crazy. His expression was serious as he looked deep into her eyes, his own expressing the depth of his affection for her. When their lips finally met and he kissed her, Rey immediately felt she had been transported somewhere heavenly. She felt Ben’s lips smile against hers as he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to their berth down below.

* * *

Ben swept Rey’s hair aside and kissed her just over the collarbone. She nibbled the lobe of his ear, and then sank into his welcoming arms. Ben buried his face in the curve of her shoulder, his hands flexing around her back. He gave a reduced groan. “I love you,” he murmured into her hair. “This is the happiest moment of my life.”

Rey pushed her lips onto his in response. He fell back onto the bed, pulling her down with him. Laughing, they ended up in a tangle of limbs. Instead of detracting from the intensity of the moment it brought them to giddier heights. Ben kissed her more firmly and the passionate wave that ran through her was intoxicating, making her head swim as she pulled back to take in his beautiful face. The word beautiful popped in her head and Ben shook his head when she shared it with him. She gazed at him, her eyes showing her confusion.

“You’re the beautiful one.” He declared with a broad smile. “Completely, totally, insanely beautiful.”

Rey’s smile spread across her face so wide it hurt. “And what does that make you?” She teased.

“Lucky.” Ben deadpanned.

Rey giggled, loving the Solo sass. “Shut up and kiss me, idiot.”

Ben was happy to oblige. When they broke away to breathe, Rey pushed Ben onto his back. He lay, raising his knees behind her as he slid his hands over her thighs, resting them on her hips, his thumbs touching the bare skin under her dress. She leaned on his chest, her weight barely registering. “Han and Chewie won’t interrupt us here.” She smiled.

“Not a chance.” Ben promised.

* * *

Rey’s dress and Ben’s shirt lay abandoned on the floor. Rey leaned back against Ben’s knees, exposing her breasts, pink from the blush that spread across her face and over her chest. Ben lay back, amazed that a person as beautiful as his Rey wanted him. His hands felt huge on her tiny body, enormous on her breasts as he cupped them. She leaned forward a bit, pressing into his palms. He circled her nipples with his fingers, brushing lightly against them, and felt them harden to his touch. She sighed quietly, and he curled up again, covering one of her breasts with his mouth. Her skin grew tight under his tongue, and he kissed the valley between as he found her other nipple and suckled it, bringing it taut in his mouth. Ben continued to worship her body like the goddess she was, lavishing attention on every sweet spot, on every sensitised part of her skin until she was moaning with need and aching for him to be inside her.

* * *

Rey’s blush deepened, and she smiled shyly. Her arms reached behind her as she looked up at Ben with utter trust. She opened herself up to him freely-with his hands, he spread her thighs, running his finger through the dark hair there, sliding his thumb into her hot, wet core. Then he lifted her, tasting her, dipping his tongue inside her. Rey wriggled against him, breathless, as his tongue rimmed around her entrance and thrust inside again. She cried out in pleasure, gasping from the intensity of it.

Ben’s fingers slid through her thick folds. He found her nub and began to tease it with his thumb. Rey made needy noises, encouraging him along. Her chest rose and fell, and in between gasps she mumbled his name. She gazed into his eyes as she began to shudder against his hand. “Now, Ben.” She moaned.

Ben leaned over her, resting his weight on one arm as he guided himself toward her entrance. Rey surprised him by thrusting against him, pulling him inside with her muscles. He quickly shifted his weight to both arms as she wrapped her legs around him, each thrust bringing him further inside. Ben felt like he was going to burst as she clung to him, lifting her body right off the bed in her efforts to get as close as possible. She was wound up, coiled tight as a spring, just like he was. Within seconds, she let out a loud moan as she gained her release. She pulsed around Ben, drawing him ever closer to his own. He hung on for as long as he could, wanting to maintain the pleasure as long as possible, but within a few moments he joined her, groaning deeply as his body trembled against hers. Rey leaned her head back, her eyes meeting his. She refused to let go, she smiled softly at him, unwilling to separate, so Ben rolled onto his back and pulled her with him. Rey lay, collapsed against him, her body toasty warm and sated against his. Ben wrapped her in his arms, holding her close until sleep eventually found them both.

* * *

Rey ran the comb skilfully through her wet hair after stepping out of the refresher. She stopped by the edge of the bed and gazed lovingly at Ben. He was lying on his front, still wrapped in profound sleep. She had never seen him look so peaceful. A small smile played about his full lips as he slept. Rey leaned down and pressed a light kiss on his forehead, her smile widening when his lips pursed in response to her kiss in his sleep. He was just too cute. She didn’t want to disturb him, so she carefully dressed, wrapping herself in his shirt, which was so long it nearly fell to her knees. She buttoned it loosely, breathing in his heady scent as she adjusted the collar around her neck.

Rey was sure that Han kept some Gatalentan tea somewhere on the ship. It was an acquired taste and very expensive, but she was determined to try it and see what all the fuss was about. She also wanted to surprise Ben with a cup when he finally decided to surface. Rey smiled when she passed the Dejarik table, pausing for a second to run her fingers lightly over the smooth board. So far, she’d had no luck in her lazy hunt for the tea. She was beginning to think Han may have stashed in the cockpit. She was about to continue on her journey when her heart skipped a beat. She felt an awakening in the Force which had nothing to do with Ben.

Adrenaline flooded Rey’s system as she felt a ghostly presence forming behind her. Her body was pushing her to either run fast for safety or run to the crate of weaponry, but instead she remained where she was, slowly finding the courage to turn around and face the phantom that had materialised from the ether. Her eyes opened wide at the figure of a man standing nonchalantly a few feet away. There was something about him that appeared oddly familiar. He was dressed in a long white tunic, with brown robes underneath. He had a kind face, it was hard to determine his age, there was an odd light shimmering around him, it was almost like he was glowing.

“Well, hello there.” He greeted her in a voice rich with warmth. “I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.”

“Who are you?” Rey asked hoarsely as she finally found her voice.

“I think you know.” The man answered softly, his grey-blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled.

Rey found she did know. Of course, she did. Overcome with emotion, she whispered the man’s name. “You’re Ben Kenobi.”

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **


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